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PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


1 


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I 


A I'ORTKAIT,  liV  J.  CRAIG  ANNAN 


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»» 


By  J.  A unan 

CAMrO  SAN  MARGIIERITA 


List  of  Illustrations — Continued 


Portrait  of  Mrs.  D. 

Self-oblivious 
The  Puritan 
What  Shall  I Say? 

Morning  . . . . 

The  Readers 
At  the  Window 
Portrait  of  Mrs.  D. 

Study  of  a Head 

Before  Agincourt 

Portrait  of  Alphonse  Mucha 

The  Rose 

The  Pool — Evening 

The  Brook  in  Winter 

\\'ild  Crocus 

The  Rivulet 

The  Judgment  of  Paris — Landsca|)e 

d'he  Marshes — Florida 

Scurrying  Home 

The  Urn 

Girl  and  Guitar 

The  May-Pole 

Shylock — A Study 

I'he  Bath 

Mother  and  Ghild 

The  Letter  Box 

'resting  Fruit 

A Roycrofter 


119 
12  2 
123 
. 125 

. . . . 1 28 

. 131 

132 

• 133 
135 

• 137 

1 43 

• 145 

148 
. ist 
154 
■ '57 

Arrangement  . . 159 

• if>3 
169 

. 171 

173 

. 174 

177 

. 179 

. . . . 1 8 1 

182 

185 

• 187 


XV 


/ 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS 
A FINE  ART 


The  Achievements  and  Possibilities 
of  Photographic  Art  in  America 

By  CHARLES  H.  CAFFIN 


Itlu^trated 


NEW  YORK 

DOUBLEDAY,  PAGE  & COMPANY 
1901 


COPYKIGHT,  IQOI,  BY  JOHN  WaNAMAKER 
Copyright,  iqoi,  by  D(;ubleday,  Page  & Company 
November,  1901 


3 fit.  bL  , , V CENTER 
LIERA.RY 


Introduction 


Everyone  recognizes  the  modern  improvements  in 
photography,  hut  very  few  are  aware  of  the  direction  and 
scope  of  its  best  developments.  They  know  what  respect- 
able results  can  he  obtained  by  the  amateur  and  how 
superior  the  print  exhibited  on  Fifth  Avenue  is  to  that 
displayed  in  the  Bowery  ; but  do  not  realize  that  anything 
more  artistic  is  being  attempted  and  achieved  by  men  and 
women  who  are  seeking  to  lift  photography  to  the  level 
of  one  of  the  Fine  Arts. 

This  group  of  “ advanced  photographers  ” is  striving 
to  secure  in  their  prints  the  same  qualities  that  contribute 
to  the  beauty  of  a picture  in  any  other  medium,  and  ask 
that  their  work  may  he  judged  by  the  same  standard. 
This  claim  involves  two  necessities  : first,  that  the  photog- 
rapher must  have  as  sound  a knowledge  of  the  principles 
of  picture-making  as  the  painters  have;  and,  secondly, 
that  it  is  within  his  power,  as  well  as  theirs,  to  put 
personal  expression  into  the  picture.  It  is  not  enough 
that  he  shall  be  an  artist  in  feeling  and  knowledge,  hut 
that  he  shall  be  able  so  to  control  the  stages  of  the  pho- 
tographic process  that  the  print  at  last  shall  embody  the 
evidence  of  his  own  character  and  purpose,  as  an  oil- 
painting  may  do  in  the  case  of  the  painter.  That  this 
is  possible  has  been  either  ignored  or  denied.  The 
original  intention  of  the  following  chapters  was  to  estab- 
lish this  possibility  and  thus  substantiate  the  claim  of  the 

vii 


INTRODUCTION 


advanced  photographers  that  their  art  could  be  practised 
with  such  purposes  and  results  as  to  place  it  among  the 
other  Fine  Arts. 

Beginning  with  a consideration  of  persons,  the  book 
has  grown  more  and  more  towards  a consideration  of 
principles.  It  evolved  itself  that  way  and,  perhaps,  not 
unfitly  ; for  an  understanding  of  the  principles  is  necessary 
to  an  appreciation  both  of  what  these  photographers  are 
aiming  at  and  of  what  they  have  achieved,  as  well  as  of 
the  further  possibilities  within  reach  of  the  art.  Neces- 
sarily, it  was  only  a summary  of  the  principles  that  could 
he  attempted  and  the  utmost  that  the  book  can  lay  claim 
to  is  a possible  suggestiveness.  It  may,  perhaps,  lead  the 
general  reader  to  look  for  something  more  in  a photograph 
than  a good  likeness  or  accurate  record  of  a landscape  ; 
may  stimulate  some  photographers  to  a higher  appreciation 
of  the  possibilities  of  their  art  and  may  even  incline  the 
painters  to  include  a few  photographers  within  the  pale  of 
the  artistic  brotherhood. 

The  first  six  chapters  have  been  republished  by  permis- 
sion of  Everybody  s Magazine  and  the  seventh  by  the 
courtesy  of  Camera  Notes. 

C.  H.  C. 

Mamaroneck,  N.  Y. 


CONTENTS 


Chapter 

Introduction  ...... 

I.  The  Development  and  Present  Status  of  the  Photograph 

II.  Alfred  Stieglitz  and  Mis  Work 

III.  Gertrude  Kasebier  and  the  Artistic-Commercial  Portrait 

IV.  Methods  of  Individual  Expression 

V.  Other  Methods  of  Individual  Expression 

VI.  The  Landscape  Subject  .... 

VII.  The  Figure  Subject  in  Pictorial  Photography 


Page 

vii 

I 

19 
51 
83 
1 1 1 
141 

167 


XI 


! 


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C(JPY  OF  THE  EARLIEST  SUNLIGHT  PICTURE  OF 
A HUMAN  FACE,  TAKEN  IN  1840. 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINK  ART 

CHAPTER  I 


The  Development  and  Present 

Photograph 


Status  of  the 


With  Photographic  Examples  erom  the  Pearliest  Portrait 
T(.)  the  Works  of  J.  Craig  Annan* 

AN  photography  he  reckoned  among  the  tine 
arts  ? 

The  great  French  painter,  Paul  Dela- 
roche,  seeing  an  example  ot  Daguerre’s  new 
light-pictures,  is  said  to  have  exclaimed, 
“ Painting  is  dead.”  So  far  the  prophecy  has  not  been 
fultilled  ; and  it  is  safe  to  say  that  painting  has  less 
to  tear  from  the  competition  ot  photography  than  trom  its 

* Mr.  Annan,  a Scotchman,  is  one  of  the  most  versatile  and  artistic  of  European 
photographers,  a man  of  forceful  personality,  who  has  had  a powerful  influence  in  the 
development  of  pictorial  photography. 


I 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


own  over-productive- 
ness. The  interest  of 
the  remark,  therefore, 
consists  in  this — that 
Delaroche  instinctively 
recognized  in  the  new 
invention  qualities  and 
possibilities  which 
would  ultimately  bring 
it  within  the  pale  ol 
the  other  fine  arts.  It 
is  a belief  that  has 
been  cherished  by  pho- 
tographers from  the 
start,  and  it  is  the 
object  of  the  present 
article  to  trace,  first, 
the  development  of 
this  belief  into  prac- 
tice, and  then  to  con- 
sider the  possibilities 
and  limitations  of  pho- 
tography for  picture- 
making and  the  salient 
characteristics  of  pic- 
ture-photography a,'- 
aimed  at  or  reached  by 
the  advanced  photog- 
raphers. 

It  is  not  always 
good  to  he  heralded 
into  the  world  with  a 


EXAMPEES  OF  'IMI':  PllO'H  )GRAP1 1 10  ART  OF 
■nil'.  FIFTllOS 

I )agucncotv])cs  stiff  in  ch.ir.u  ter  and  awkward  in  arrangement. 
'They  were  mounted  in  gilt  frames  and  generally 
encloseil  in  plush  or  leather  cases. 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


flourish  of  trumpets,  and  the  exaggerated  expectations 
which  the  public  formed  regarding  Daguerre’s  invention 
aroused  the  suspicion  and  aninn^sity  ol  the  painters.  This 
changed  to  contemptuous  indifl'erence  as  it  began  to  be 
understood  that  photography  had  its  limitations.  The 
pendulum  had  swung  to  the  opposite  extreme,  the 
art  side  was  ignored  and  the  process  dismissed  into  the 
limbo  ot  chemistry  and  mechanics.  The  one  attitude 
was  as  unreasonable  as  the  other.  Moreover,  photography 
as  an  art  fell  upon  evil  times ; it  was  seized  and  ex- 
ploited for  moneyed  ends,  and  its  artistic  possibilities 
became  obscured  by  commercialism.  With  the  usual 
interacting  of  cause  and  effect,  the  photographers  aimed 
to  please  the  public,  and  the  latter  accepted  their  work 
as  representative  of  the  art  at  its  best.  Dip  into  the 
family  album  of  twenty-flve  years  ago  ; you  will  see  the 
mediocritv  that  prevailed  under  these  conditions.  Here 
and  there  a print  will  record  a good  likeness;  but,  for  the 
most  part,  appear  examples  of  persons,  posed  in  painful 
attitudes,  amid  surroundings  execrable  in  their  ugliness ; 
the  faces  purged  of  every  blemish  and  presenting  surfaces 
as  smooth  and  unlifelike  as  a fresh  cake  of  soap.  Or 
one’s  researches  may  be  carried  further  into  that  realm  of 
bathos,  peopled  with  the  make-believes  of  the  pictorial 
photographer  ; models,  clad  in  cheese-cloth,  masquerading 
as  angels,  madonnas,  fairies  or  classic  heroines,  or  the 
thousand  and  one  “creations”  of  the  uncultivated  photog- 
rapher, who  either  had  no  sense  of  humor  or  carried  his 
tongue  in  his  cheek  at  the  credulity  of  the  public. 

Yet  it  would  be  unjust  to  dwell  too  insistentlv  on 
these  points,  still  more  so  to  saddle  photography  with  the 
entire  responsibility  for  its  own  shortcomings.  Tbe 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


period  under  notice  was  one  of  banality  in  all  the  arts. 
A few  names  of  painters  and  sculptors  stand  out  as 
eminences,  but  for  the  most  part  the  two  arts  showed  a 
dead-level  of  mediocrity.  This  is  as  true  of  Europe,  with 

its  uninterrupted  traditions,  as 
of  America,  which  was  just 
commencing  its  art-conscious- 
ness. And  it  is  equally  true 
to  say  that,  although  higher 
standards  are  now  understood 
and  recognized,  a vast  mass 
of  pictures  and  sculpture  is 
still  annually  produced  which 
has  no  reason  for  existence  ex- 
cept that  it  is  made  to  sell. 
Its  motive  is  commercial,  and 
commercialism  its  only  justih- 
cation.  But  both  these  arts 
have  a noble  past  and  dignified 
traditions,  which  a faithful  few 
are  resolute  to  maintain,  while 
photography  is  even  now  en- 
gaged in  establishing  its  dignity 
and  in  storing  for  itself  traditions.  All  the  while  a few 
enthusiasts,  disregarding  the  allurements  of  popularity  and 
full  of  belief  in  the  possibilities  of  their  craft,  have  steadily 
worked  to  produce  photographs  which  shall  appeal  to  the 
cultivated  judgment  as  truly  pictures. 

f'or  a time  the  Photographic  Society  of  Cireat  Britain, 
now  known  as  “'Hie  Roval,”  afforded  at  its  annual  exhibi- 
tions opportunity  for  the  display  of  artistic  work  by  pho- 
tographers in  all  parts  of  the  world.  It  conferred  awards. 


A 'rVPlCAL  PORTRAIT  OF  THE 
SIXTIES 

At  this  period  photographs  were  usually  made 
about  the  same  si/.e  as  these  reproductions, 
and  were  mounted  on  small  cards. 


1 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


and  the  highest  was  regarded  as  the  Blue  Rihhon  of  the 
art.  Gradually,  however,  the  Society  “grew  lax  in  its 
methods  and  did  not  insist  on  the  highest  standard.”  The 
earliest  protest  arose  in  Vienna,  when  certain  photogra- 
phers, braving  the  sneers  of 
the  conservatives,  organized, 
in  1899,  the  Viennese  Photo- 
graphic Salon.  Its  success 
was  so  pronounced  that  it 
brought  to  a head  the  discon- 
tent felt  in  England  with  the 
unprogressiveness  of  “ The 
Royal  ; ” the  result  being  a 
secession  of  some  of  the  mem- 
bers and  the  formation  of  the 
now  famous  “ Linked  Rin«;.” 

Th  is  differed  from  the  Vien- 
nese Salon  in  two  important 
respects.  While  the  Salon 
had  adopted  a system  of 
awards,  the  “ Ring  ” dropped 
them  altogether,  determining 
to  maintain  a standard  so  high  that  the  mere  admission  of 
a picture  to  the  exhibitions  should  be  in  itself  an  award 
of  honor.  Again,  the  Salon  had  entrusted  the  selection 
of  pictures  to  a jury  of  painters;  the  “Ring”  reverted  to 
a jurv  of  photographers  ; for  it  argued,  quite  reasonably, 
that  the  latter  were,  or  ought  to  he,  as  capable  of  judging 
the  pictorial  qualities  of  a picture  as  the  painters  are;  that 
they,  moreover,  understood  the  technical  possibilities  aiid 
limitations,  while  the  painters  did  not,  and,  still  further, 
that  they  regarded  photography  in  all  seriousness,  which, 


A COMPANION  PORTRAIT  OF  THE 
SAME  PERIOD 


5 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


as  yet,  it  was  not  at  all  certain  that  painters,  as  a class, 
did.  The  “ Ring,”  then,  was  formed  to  uphold  the 
highest  possible  standards  in  picture-photography,  and, 

being  anxious  to  avoid  the 
least  chance  of  itself  falling 
by  degrees  into  set  grooves, 
it  refused  to  shackle  itself 
with  a constitution  or  even 
to  have  officers.  Originally 
composed  ot  some  thirty 
members  ol  various  national- 
ities, it  has  grown,  through 
the  election  ol  those  who 
have  made  distinguished 
showing  at  its  exhibitions,  to 
rather  more  than  double  that 
number  ; including  in  its 
membership  the  following 
Americans  : Alfred  Stieglitz,  R.  Eickemeyer,  Jr.,  F. 

Holland  Day,  Joseph  T.  Keiley,  Clarence  H.  White,  and 
Mrs.  Gertrude  Kasehier,  who  is  the  first  ladv  to  have  been 
enrolled. 

Idle  example  of  this  annual  Photographic  Salon  was 
followed  shortly  in  Vienna,  Paris,  Hamburg,  Alunich  and 
other  liuropean  cities;  “till,  hnally,  pictorial  photography 
came  to  he  taken  seriouslv  by  the  continental  Art  Societies 
and  Academies,  and  today  the  principal  photographic 
exhibitions  are  held  under  their  auspices,  and  in  several 
art  centres  the  leading  art  museums  have  established  per- 
manent exhibitions  of  original  photographs  of  real  artistic 
merit  ami  value,  and  have  set  aside  a fund  for  the  pur- 
chase of  the  same.”  'The  latest  salon,  the  Philadelphia 


A STIFF  MODERN  PHOTO 

The  style  of  print  which  has  passed  for  fine  work 
in  the  best  galleries 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


Photographic  Salon,  was  organized  under  the  joint 
direction  of  the  Pennsylvania  Academy  of  the  Fine  Arts 
and  the  Photographic  Society  of  Philadelphia  in  1898. 

Up  to  this  time  there  had  been  no  dearth  of  photo- 
graphic societies  in  the  United  States,  or  of  exhibitions  ; 
but  their  artistic  standards  were  poor,  for  the  facilities  of 
the  cheap  camera  had  been  and  still  are  prolihc  of  medi- 
ocrity. Even  the  joint  annual  exhibitions,  held  in  turn  at 
New  York,  Philadelphia  and  Boston,  from  1884  to  1894, 
which  were  modelled  to  some  extent  on  the  Photographic 
Society  of  Great  Britain,  gave  no  encouragement  to  the 
principles  and  efforts  of  the  advanced  photographers.  The 
latter  have  been  represented  in  this  country  by  a small  and 
steadily  increasing  group  of 
earnest  workers,  whose  work 
will  form  the  subject  of  sub- 
sequent articles  in  this  series. 

For  the  present,  it  is  enough 
to  say  that  their  leader  has 
been  Alfred  Stieglitz,  well 
known  throughout  the  pho- 
tographic world,  who  has 
been  closely  identified  with 
each  stage  in  the  develop- 
ment of  the  art  during  the 
past  fifteen  years.  Both  in 
his  pictures  and  in  his  writ- 
ings, as  well  as  hy  his 
personal  influence,  he  has, 
little  by  little,  in  face  cd  a dead  inertia  of  indifference  and 
of  the  more  active  opposition  of  misconception  and 
ridicule,  upheld  the  hands  of  the  artistic  photographers 


AN  “ARTISTIC”  PORTRAIT 


“ A favorite  pose  ” 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


and  won  recognition  for  the  art.  The  result  of  his 
efforts  in  this  country  has  been  the  establishment  of  the 
Philadelphia  Photographic  Salon,  at  which  no  awards  are 
made,  admission  to  the  exhibition  being  held  sufficient 
honor  ; \\diile  the  test  of  selection  is  that  the  work,  to  be 
accepted,  must  show  “ distinct  evidence  of  individual 
artistic  feeling  and  execution.”  It  remains  to  be  seen 
whether  the  Alanagement  of  these  exhibitions  will  have 
enough  courage  of  its  convictions  to  maintain  this  prin- 
ciple. If  there  is  any  wobbling  of  purpose,  and  the  high 
standard  now  professed  is  for  any  reason  relaxed,  the 
exhibitions  will  immediately  lose  all  claim  upon  serious 
consideration.'^  On  the  other  hand,  the  character  of  the 

best  work  in  this 
country  is  so  good  that, 
with  staunchness  to 
principles  and  patience 
under  opposition,  the 
Philadelphia  Salon  may 
soon  become  the  most 
distinguished  in  the 
world. 

Such  is  a brief 
account  of  the  move- 
ment that  has  been 
started  and  maintained 
by  the  vanguard  of 
photographers  to  make 
the  picture-photograph  pictorial  in  the  highest  sense.  It 
remains  now  to  describe  the  characteristics  of  the  best 

^ Already,  since  the  above  was  written,  an  attempt  has  been  made  to  “ pop«'anze 
tile  Salon  ! 


F.UCOMt'  IMIoroCKAl'IlV 

An  excellent  representation  nf  tlie  photo,e;raphic  art  as  practised 
in  tlie  smaller  towns 


s 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 


Pa(.e 

A Portrait,  by  J.  Craig  Annan  .....  iv 

Cainpo  San  Marglierita  . . . . . . x 

Copy  of  the  Earliest  Sunliglit  Picture  of  a 1 fuinan  Face,  taken  in  1840  i 
Examples  of  the  Photographic  Ai't  of  the  Fifties  ...  2 

A Typical  Portrait  of  the  Sixties  . . . . .4 

A Companion  Portrait  of  the  Same  Period  ...  5 

A Stiff  Modern  Photo.  ......  6 

An  “ Artistic  ” Portrait  ......  7 

Bucolic  Photography  .......  8 

Professional  “Higli  Art”  ......  9 

The  Black  Canal  . . . . . . .11 

The  Sand  Dunes  . . . . . . . 13 

Portrait  of  Mr.  R.  . . . . . . .21 

At  Anchor  ........  23 

Going  to  the  Beach  . . . . . . .24 

Gossip-Katwyk  . . . . . . . 25 

Morning  . . . . . . . .26 

Noon  ........  26 

Good  Night  . . . . . . . • -7 

Mother  and  Child  ......  29 

An  Icy  Night,  New  York  . . . . . -31 

The  Afternoon  Visit  . . . . . . 32 

A Study  in  Two  Colors  . . . . . -35 

Reflections — Night,  New  York  .....  37 

Portrait  of  a Dutch  Woman  . . . . . -41 

'Fhe  Net  Mender  .......  43 

September  . ......  47 

xiii 


List  of  Illustrations — ^Continued 


Decorative  Panel  .......  53 

Going  to  Boston  . . . . . . -55 

Portrait  of  a Boy  .......  56 

Portrait  of  Mr.  B.  . . . . . . -57 

Mr.  A.  M.  .......  59 

Study  of  a Boy  . . . . . . .61 

Fairy  Tales  .......  63 

Dickey  . . . . . . . .65 

A Group  . . . . . . . . 67 

Miss  Sears  . . . . . . . .68 

Portrait  ........  69 

Mother  and  Child  . . . . . . .70 

Portrait  . . . . . . . . 71 

Miss  D.  ........  72 

Cornelia  ........  73 

I^ady  -with  Newspaper  . . . . . -73 

La  Grand-Mere  . . . . . . . 74 

Adele  . . . . . . . -77 

Sisters  . . - . . . . . 79 

Portrait  of  Alfred  Stieglitz  . . . . . .85 

The  Horse  . . . . . . . . 87 

I’ortrait  of  Zolnay,  the  Sculptor  . . . . .89 

Confined  Vista  in  the  Afterglow  of  an  Autumnal  Sunset  . 92 

Autumn  Twilight  . . . . . . -93 

Nirvana  ........  94 

Song  of  the  Lily  . . . . . . -97 

An  Indian  Madonna  ......  98 

Young  Man  with  'Cello  . . . . . .99 

Garden  of  Dreams  .......  loi 

y\  Sioux  Chief  . . . . . . -103 

Portrait  of  a Child  . . . . . . .104 

Vine-crowned.  A Summer  Idyl  .....  106 

Man  in  y\rmor  . . . . . . .107 

Citizen  Louche  . . . . . . .109 

Kvening  Interior  . . . . . . . 113 

Landscape  with  Sheep  . . . . . ■ 

'J'elegraph  Poles  . . . . . . .117 


XIV 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


picture-photographs,  and,  incidentally,  to  touch  upon  the 
possibilities  and  limitations  of  photography  in  this 
direction. 

There  are  two  distinct  roads  in  photography — the 
utilitarian  and  the  u\sthetic  : 
the  goal  of  the  one  being  a 
record  of  facts,  and  of  the 
other  an  expression  of  beauty. 

They  run  parallel  to  each 
other,  and  many  cross-paths 
connect  them.  Examples  of 
utilitarian  photographs  are 
those  of  machinery,  of  build- 
ings and  engineering  works, 
of  war-scenes  and  daily  in- 
cidents used  in  illustrated 
papers,  of  a large  majority  of 
the  views  taken  by  tourists, 
and  of  the  greater  number  of 
portraits.  In  all  these  the 
operator  relies  upon  the  excellence  of  his  camera,  and  in 
developing  and  printing  aims  primarily  at  exact  definition. 
Examples  of  the  intermediate  class  are  photographs  of 
paintings,  sculpture  and  architecture,  which,  while  first  of 
all  useful  as  records  of  works  of  art,  are  treated  with  so 
much  skili  and  feeling  for  the  beauty  of  the  originals  that 
they  have  an  independant  value  as  being  themselves  things 
of  beauty.  Preeminent  in  this  class  is  the  portrait,  which 
gives  a truthful  record  of  the  individual’s  characteristics, 
at  the  same  time  being  so  handsome  as  a picture  that  we 
enjoy  it  apart  from  any  consideration  of  its  being  a good 
likeness.  Lastly,  there  is  the  photograph  whose  motive 


PROFESSIONAL  HIGH  ART’’ 

This  photograph  was  awarded  the  prize  in  a beauty 
contest  in  Paris 


9 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


is  purely  aesthetic : to  be  beautiful.  It  will  record  facts, 
but  not  as  facts ; it  will  even  ignore  facts  if  they  interfere 
with  the  conception  that  is  kept  in  view;  just  as  Corot  in 
his  paintings  certainly  recorded  the  phenomena  of  morn- 
ing and  twilight  skies  and  just  as  certainly  left  out  a num- 
ber of  facts  which  must  have  confronted  him  as  he  sat 
before  the  scene,  his  object  being  not  to  get  at  facts,  but 
to  express  the  emotions  with  which  the  facts  affected  him. 

The  point  to  be  noted  is  that,  while  in  the  hrst  class 
the  photographer  succeeds  hy  mechanical  and  scientihc 
means,  in  the  two  latter  he  must  also  have  sympathy, 
imagination,  and  a knowledge  of  the  principles  upon 
which  painters  and  photographers  alike  rely  to  make  their 
pictures.  He  must  understand  the  laws  of  composition, 
th  ose  also  which  affect  the  distribution  of  light  and  shade; 
his  eye  must  be  trained  to  distinguish  “ values,”  that  is  to 
say,  the  varying  effect  of  light  upon  objects  of  different 
material  and  the  gradual  changes  in  the  color  of  an 
object  according  as  it  is  nearer  to  or  farther  from  the  eye. 
ddiese  involve  technical  knowledge  which  may  he 
acquired ; in  addition  there  must  be  the  instinctive  sense 
of  what  is  beautiful  in  line  and  form  and  color,  which 
may  be  developed  by  study,  and,  lastly,  the  natural  gift  of 
imagination  which  conceives  a beautiful  subject  and  uses 
technique  and  instinct  to  express  it.  The  contention  of 
what  we  have  called  the  “advanced”  photographers  is 
that  these  qualities  of  temperament  and  training  must  be 
brought  to  the  making  of  a picture-photograph.  They 
are  identical  with  the  equipment  of  a painter,  except  that 
he  learns  to  use  color  and,  if  he  is  a true  cx)lorist,  thinks 
in  color.  But  no  stress  need  be  laid  on  this  exception; 
for,  in  its  present  inability  to  reproduce  color,  photog- 


THE  BLACK  CANAL,  BY  J.  CRAIG  ANNAN 

An  excellent  example  of  the  possibility  of  obtaining  unusual  effects  in  photography.  The  treatment  of  the  water  has  the  value 

of  a fine  etching 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


raphy  stands  along  side  of  etching ; nor  must  we  forget 
that  a good  “black-and-white,”  though  it  does  not  state 
the  colors  of  a scene,  has  a power  of  suggesting  them, 
which  also  reminds  me  that  sculptors  speak  of  a statue  as 
being  good  in  “color”  when  they  wish  to  commend  its 
distribution  of  light  and  shade.  So  we  reach  the  point 
that  the  most  important  difference  between  the  painter 
and  the  photographer  is  in  their  respective  tools.  While 
the  former  uses  a brush  or  knife  or  his  own  thumb  to 
cover  his  canvas,  a needle  to  scratch  his  etching,  or  a 
burin  to  engrave  his  plate,  the  latter  uses  a dark-box  with 
a lens  in  the  front  of  it.  The  painter  who  affects  to 
despise  photography — except,  by  the  way,  as  a short  cut 
for  obtaining  studies  of  his  models — might  condone  the 
dark-box,  just  as  he  has  been  accustomed  to  paint  nature’s 
sunlight  while  sitting  within  the  four  walls  of  his  studio, 
lighted  from  the  sunless  north ; but  he  calls  a halt  on  the 
lens.  That  is  mechanical,  substituting  a soulless  eye  for 
the  artist’s  individual  vision. 

The  reader  will  notice  that  this  objection  involves  two 
propositions : first,  that  the  camera  is  mechanical ; 

secondly,  that  the  use  of  it  prevents  the  artist’s  individual 
vision.  We  may  admit  the  one  without  subscribing  to 
the  other.  Undoubtedly  the  camera  is  mechanical,  and 
that  is  the  limitation  under  which  the  photographer 
labors.  But  every  art  has  its  limitations.  The  architect 
is  confronted  with  problems  of  construction,  with  local 
conditions  and  the  need  of  satisfying  required  utilities — 
all  of  which  hamper  the  freedom  of  his  artistic  invention. 
Idle  conscientious  painter  laments  the  inadequacy  of  pig- 
ments to  express  what  he  sees  and  feels,  and,  except  in 
rare  instances,  finds  the  handling  of  his  brush  an  obstacle 

I 2 


THE  SAND  DUNES,  BY  J.  CRAIG  ANNAN 

A particularly  successful  and  sincere  specimen  of  modem  pictorial  photographic  art 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


to  freedom  of  expression ; while  the  sculptor  knows  better 
than  anyone  the  difficulty  of  manifesting  life  and  move- 
ment in  inert  marble  or  bronze.  Each  art  is  shackled 
with  material  fetters,  and  the  pride  of  the  artist  is  in 
rising  despite  them.  With  brush  and  pigments  the 
painter-artist  can  accomplish  something  infinitely  superior 
to  the  work  of  the  house-decorator.  Is  he  blind  to  the 
immeasurably  superior  results  reached  by  the  artist-photog- 
rapher over  him  who  merely  relies  upon  the  mechanical 
facilities  of  the  camera  ? 

We  shall  better  appreciate  these  results  by  thoroughly 
realizing  the  limitations  which  the  camera  imposes. 
They  make  themselves  felt  particularly  in  hgure-work. 
Consider  the  simplest  case,  where  the  picture  is  to  consist 
of  a single  hgure.  Both  painter  and  photographer  work 
from  a model ; hut  the  former  can  correct,  modify,  and 
above  all  put  into  the  face  such  expression  as  the  subject 
demands.  The  photographer  on  the  contrary,  though  he 
may  talk  the  subject  into  his  model’s  brain,  may  hnd  him- 
self disappointed  of  success  by  the  impossibility  to  make 
the  model  express  it.  Particidarly  is  this  true  of  the 
regular  professional  model,  who,  ordinarily,  is  not  expected 
to  do  any  thinking,  and  who  is  also  apt  to  he  too  sophis- 
ticated to  assume  even  a natural  expression.  It  is  in  this 
respect  that  children  afford  the  happiest  results,  especially 
if  thev  can  he  caught,  as  it  were,  in  their  free  wildness. 
The  difficidties  hinted  at  in  the  single  hgure  composition 
are  increased  in  the  case  of  groups.  Rarely  does  one  see 
a photograph,  containing  many  hgures,  in  which  the  lines 
retain  their  suppleness  throughout  the  composition  or  in 
which  there  is  a complete  uniformity  of  feeling  pervading 
the  whole  picture,  unless  the  group  is  treated  in  the 


14 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


middle-distance  rather  than  the  foreground.  It  is  in  this 
way  that  the  prudent  photographer  often  prefers  to  use 
hgures,  or  he  will  rely  upon  the  movement  rather  than  the 
expression.  Especially,  he  is  inclined  to  make  the  motive 
of  his  composition  decorative,  using  the  human  ligure  as 
part  of  an  ornamental  arrangement  of  lines  and  masses  of 
light  and  shade. 

What  we  have  said  of  the  hgure-picture  is  prac- 
tically true  of  the  portrait.  The  painter  enjoys  the 
opportunity  of  studying  his  subject’s  character  and  charac- 
teristic pose  and  expression  in  majiy  sittiiigs,  and  can 
gradually  elaborate  the  record  of  what  he  sees,  striving  to 
make  it  comprehend  or  suggest  the  many-sidedness  of  his 
subject.  This,  however,  is  a great  gift,  and  few  there  he 
that  find  it;  but  it  constitutes  the  «:randeur  of  the  2;reat 
portraits  of  the  world.  I have  heard  of  a photographer 
inviting  to  his  studio  some  one  whose  portrait  he  wished 
to  take,  and  on  many  occasions  in  the  unrestraint  of  con- 
versation studying  his  characteristics,  and  then  one  day,  by 
a little  ruse,  securing  a negative-plate  when  the  subject 
thought  it  was  something  at  his  side  that  was  being  pho- 
tographed. But  this  is  obviously  impracticable  as  a rule, 
and  the  photographer  must  ordinarily  rely  upon  quickness 
of  sympathy  and  comprehension,  upon  his  ability  to  culti- 
vate conhdenee  at  short  notice,  and  the  power  of  rapid 
decision  as  to  pose  and  lighting,  so  that  he  saves  the  sitter 
the  oppressive  feeling  of  being  operated  upon.  One  can 
imagine  the  difficulty  of  this,  and  it  is  surprising  how  the 
best  photographers  surmount  it.  There  is  another  side  to 
the  portrait,  which  is  that,  besides  being  a goc)d  likeness, 
it  may  he  a beautiful  picture,  and  one  is  inclined  to 
believe  that  in  this  respect  the  phott)graphers  succeed 


15 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


more  often  than  the  painters.  Indeed,  one  may  go  even 
further  and  assert  that,  in  this  country  today,  the  portraits 
hy  the  best  photographers  attain  a higher  average  of  all- 
round excellence  than  those  by  the  best  painters. 

From  what  has  been  said  it  may  he  gathered  that  in 
photography  the  hardest  of  all  hgure-subjects  is  the  study 
from  the  nude.  Except  in  the  case  of  children,  the 
modern  form  is  seldom  sufficiently  free  from  defects  or 
able  to  pose  and  move  naturally  without  the  accustomed 
restraint  of  clothing.  Still  less  is  the  nude  model  tolerable 
for  any  subject  that  involves  expression  of  sentiment.  Yet 
many  photographers  use  it  to  good  effect  in  subjects  dis- 
tinctly decorative ; particularly  in  statuesque  poses  and 
with  the  emphasis  on  light  and  shade. 

Another  limitation  encountered  hy  the  photographer 
arises  from  the  impartiality  with  which  the  camera 
records  anything  near  to  it  and  the  misinterpretation  it 
gives  to  distances  ; whereas,  when,  we  look,  for  example, 
at  a landscape,  our  eye,  on  the  one  hand,  is  conscious  of 
successive  planes  of  distance,  and,  on  the  other,  is  unable 
to  grasp  more  than  the  salient  features.  So  the  landscape 
taken  hy  an  untrained  photographer  may  he  a very 
pleasant  reminder  of  a beautiful  spot,  hut  it  will  not  be 
true  to  nature,  and  it  will  he  so  crowded  with  facts  as  to 
lack  the  simplicity  and  synthesis  of  pictorial  composition; 
a charge,  hy  the  way,  which  may  he  brought  against 
many  painted  landscapes.  Before  considering  how  pho- 
tography surmounts  this  limitation,  let  us  note  that  in 
certain  branches  of  photographic  work  it  is  a quality  of 
value.  One  has  seen,  for  example,  some  studies  of  birds 
and  dowers  in  which  the  fulness  of  detail  and  suggestion 
of  the  actual  texture  were  beautiful  in  thenit-elves  as 

t6 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


well  as  valuable  for  truth.  The  painter  obtains  his 
synthesis  by  elimination  til  the  unessential  and  massing 
of  the  important  features.  The  photographic  artist  does 
practically  the  same.  He  studies  the  landscape  until  he 
has  found  the  point  of  view  from  which  it  most  im- 
presses him  ; then  he  discovers  the  time  of  day  and  the 
atmospheric  conditions  most  conducive  to  the  impression 
he  wishes  to  record.  Perhaps  he  selects  the  moment 
when  a broad  shadow  or  a Hood  of  light  stretches  across 
the  foreground,  with  the  effect  of  unifying  it.  Having 
made  his  negative,  he  is  able  in  the  processes  of  deveh^p- 
ing  and  printing  to  control  the  result — strengthening  this 
part  or  reducing  that  until  he  gets  the  planes  of  his 
picture  truthful,  and  reaches  synthesis.  In  a wtird,  thcxse 
who  have  studied  the  work  of  the  advanced  photog- 
raphers realize  their  ability  to  make  a picture  that  is 
large  in  conception  and  heautifid  in  feeling,  notwith- 
standing the  limitations  of  the  camera. 

It  will  he  recognized  at  once  that  such  work  as  this, 
in  landscape  or  in  figure,  demands  artistic  temperament 
and  training,  and  involves  a large  expenditure  of  time 
and  labor.  And  now  we  arrive  at  a definition  of  what 
we  have  been  calling  the  “advanced”  photographer;  he 
has  the  temperament  and  training  and  is  so  devoted  to 
his  work  as  to  expend  on  it  patient  study,  time  and  lalun*. 

Lastly,  can  he  infuse  an  individuality  into  his  pictures, 
as  the  painter  can,  making  them  express  his  own  personal 
conceptions  of  beauty?  For  answer  we  need  only  refer 
you  to  the  work  of  the  best  photographers.  You  will 
find  a kinship  of  feeling  throughout  all  the  examples  of 
anv  one,  so  that  you  would  know  an  isolated  example  t(') 
he  by  So-and-so ; and,  on  the  other  hand,  that  his  work 


17 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


differs  from  that  of  the  others  as  theirs  from  one 
another’s.  In  short,  if  he  has  the  equipment  of  an 
artist  and  an  artistic  individuality,  the  photographer  can 
surmount  or  evade  the  limitations  of  his  mechanical  tool, 
the  camera,  and  produce  work  which,  barring  colors,  may 
have  the  characteristics  of  a beautiful  picture. 

In  a word,  Saul  also  is  to  be  reckoned  among  the 
prophets. 


i8 


CHAPTER  II. 


l ORTRAIT  OF  MR.  R„  15Y  ALFRED  STIEGUTZ  (1895) 

(From  a ]»latinotype) 


i 


AT  ANCHOR 


By  Alfred  Sticglitz,  i8q4 


(From  a gum-print  in  India  ink  on  rough  drawing  paper) 


CHAPTER  II 

Alfred  Stieglitz  and  His  Work 

With  a Reference  tu  the  “Straight”  and  “Manipulated”  1’rint 

ERE  are  few,  if  any,  who  will  not  concede 
to  Alfred  Stieglitz  the  first  place  among 
American  exponeirts  of  pictorial  photogra- 
phy. It  is  his  own,  hoth  tor  what  he  himself 
has  done,  and  also  for  what  he  has  encour- 
aged and  enabled  others  to  accomplish. 

H is  influence  upon  the  progress  of  the  art  has  heen  so 
widely  diffused  that  it  is  difficult  to  estimate  it  accurately. 
\VT  have  to  consider  him  as  an  artist,  following  his  own 
ideal,  and  reaching  certain  definite  results  of  personal 
expression — hut  as  much  more  than  an  individual  factor;  hy 
his  training  and  affiliations  a connecting  link  between  the 
photographers  of  Europe  and  of  the  United  States — as  a man 

“J 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


of  international  inliuences;  then,  again,  as  a vitalizing  force 
in  the  betterment  of  the  art  in  this  country,  one  whose 
wide  knowledge  and  large  sympathies  have  been  ever  at  the 
call  of  those  who  are  earnest  workers,  and  always  with  an 
ardor  entirely  unsellish.  In  fact,  he  has  been  the  incarna- 
tion of  the  movement — artist,  prophet,  pathhnder. 

He  is  an  American  by  birth;  born  in  1864.  In  1881 
he  went  to  Germany  to  study  mechanical  engineering  in 
the  Polytechnic  Schools  at  Berlin.  His  object  up  to  this 
time  was  purely  scientihc.  However,  the  famous  scientist. 

Professor  Vogel,  Chief 
of  the  Photo-Me- 
chanical Laboratory, 
suggested  a course  of 
theoretical  photogra- 
phy as  of  practical 
value  in  engineering. 
Mr.  Stieglitz  was  one 
of  those  who  fell  in 
with  the  idea  and  had 
the  heneht  of  work- 
ing under  the  professor  while  he  was  developing  his 
invention  of  ortho-chromatic  plates  and  reducing  his  results 
to  a commercial  possibility.  The  object  of  these  “cor- 
rected color”  plates  was  to  counteract  the  tendency  of 
certain  ca)lors  in  iiature  to  assert  themselves  at  the  expense 
of  others;  to  tliscover,  in  fact,  a scdution  which  should 
render  the  plates  sensitive  t(.i  all  the  colors  in  their  balanced 
relations,  translating  them  into  a truthful  equivalent  of 
black  and  ^^dlite.  'Phus  fc)r  two  vears  Mr.  Stieglitz  assisted 
in  the  experiments,  photographing  all  kinds  of  subjects — 
landscapes,  flowers,  portrait  paintings,  and  so  forth,  and  he 


24 


GOSSIP— KATWYK  By  A//rcdStie^c,t~^  ijo* 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


was  probably  the  lirst 
amateur  to  use  these 
“ color  sensitive  ” plates 
in  his  own  work. 
During  this  period  the 
passion  for  photogra- 
phy asserted  itself  over 
his  original  intention 
of  being  an  engineer. 
It  satisfied  alike  his 
love  of  science  and  a 
natural  instinct  he 
found  he  possessed  for 
art.  After  two  years 
of  close  scientihc  study  he  started,  camera  in  hand  and 
his  wallet  filled  with  these  ortho-chromatic  plates,  for  a 


By  Alfred  StieglitZy  1899 


MORNING 


tour  through 

0 

Italy  in 

search 

of  the  pictur- 

esq  Lie. 

He 

seems  to 

have  1 

ooked  for  it  and 

found 

it,  particularly 

in  its 

relation  to  the 

outdoor  life 

of  the 

people 

One 

of  the 

lirst  of  these  Italian 

studies 

was 

A Good 

>Ar, 

which 

he  sent 

to  a 

“ hoi  id 

ay  work 

competition,” 

organ- 

ized  1 

>V  'The 

yhniitair 

Photogriipher 

of  Lon- 

don. 

1 1 was 

awarded 

By  Aljted  BticglitZy  1899 
fAll  llircefron.  the  “ Photograpliic  Journal  of  a llaby  ”) 


NOON 


26 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


first  prize,  the  judge 
being  Dr.  P.  H.  Emer- 
son, subsequently  well 
known  as  the  author 
of  Naturalistic  Pho- 
tography, who  said  of 
the  print  that  it  was 
the  only  spontaneous 
work  in  the  whole 
collection.  I shall  re- 
turn to  this  picture 
presently.  Apparently 
its  recognition  con- 
firmed Mr.  Stieglitz 
in  his  devotion  to 
photography,  and,  very  characteristically,  he  returned  to 
Germany  and  entered  upon  the  study  of  chemistry,  mean- 
while keeping  up  a correspondence  with  the  leading  pho- 
tographers of  Europe,  writing  on  the  science  for  (ferman 
periodicals,  and  winning  prizes  at  many  exhibitions.  In 
1890  he  returned  to  the  United  States,  continuing  his 
scientific  investigations;  sending  pictures  to  exhibitions  all 
over  the  world;  heiim  elected  a member  of  the  famous 
“Linked  Ring”  in  England,  and  winning  nearly  a hun- 
dred honors  of  various  kinds  ; acting  for  a time,  without 
remuneration,  as  editor  of  The  American  Amateur  Pho- 
tographer, and  stimulating  through  the  countrv  a higher 
standard  of  aim  and  accomplishment;  for  some  time  filling 
the  position  of  manager  for  a photo-engraving  company; 
helpi  ng  to  organize  the  Camera  Club,  and  assuming  the 
responsibility  for  and  editorship  c')f  Camera  N otes,  the 
most  dignified,  and  probably  most  intiuential,  of  all  photo- 


By  A Stieglitz,  iSqy 
GOOD-NIGHT 


-1 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


graphic  journals;  hnally  taking  a leading  part  in  the 
establishment  of  the  Philadelphia  Photographic  Salon,  and 
Holding  today  a unique  position  of  leader,  counsellor  and 
encoLirager,  to  whom  the  only  introduction  needed  by 
other  amateurs  is  that  they  also  have  the  interests  of  pic- 
torial photography  at  heart. 

In  this  elaborate  web  of  energy  two  qualities  are  clearly 
perceptible — the  scientihc  and  the  artistic  temperament. 
They  represent  the  warp  and  woof;  and,  if  one  is  to 
assign  their  relative  positioiis,  I am  inclined  to  believe  that 
the  foundation  threads  of  his  purposes  are  scientihc,  and 
that  into  these  he  has  woven  the  artistic  woof.  But  the 
two  are  so  closely  matted  that  their  discrimination  is  of 
little  practical  value;  the  main  thing  being  that  they  are 
adjusted  to  a most  admirable  balance,  and  that  the  entluis- 
iasm  which  is  characteristic  both  of  the  scientihc  aiid  of 
the  artistic  temperament  is  in  him  united.  In  this  dual 
interest  we  discover  the  secret  of  his  own  personality  as  an 
artist,  and  of  his  inhuences  upon  the  purposes  of  photo- 
graphic art. 

'fhere  is  no  inlierent  antagonism  between  science  and 
art,  as  some  people  rashly  imagine;  regarding  the  former 
as  fastened  down  to  measured  footsteps  of  accuracy  and 
logic,  while  art  proceeds  by  leaps  and  hounds.  Our  great 
artist,  fohn  La  Large,  for  example,  has  reached  his  splen- 
did results  of  color,  both  in  painting  and  stained  glass,  by 
making  science  his  handmaid;  Pissarro,  Alonet  and  Sisley, 
the  most  famous  of  the  “ I mpressitmists,”  have  done  the 
same,  the  tirst  nametl  attrilniting  his  earliest  inspiration  to 
the  scientific  (.liscox'eries  of  Professor  Rood  of  C'olumhia 
Tni\’ersitv;  while  architecture  is  largelv  an  adjustment  of 
artistic  motive  to  scientific  possibilities.  But  the  alliance 


MOTHER  AND  CHILD 

(From  the  “ Photograpliic  Journal  of  a I’nby”; 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


seems  even  closer  in  the  case  of  photography ; for  it  has 
its  base  in  chemistry  and  physics,  and  only  upon  these  can 
one  rear  an  artistic  superstructure,  independent  of  the  other 
arts.  It  is  impossible,  therefore,  to  overestimate  the  valu^ 
to  this  new  art  ot  having  had  a champion  fully  equipped 
in  both  directions ; one  who  could  comprehend  the  artistic 
possibilities,  and  reach  them  through  scientific  investiga- 
tions, making  himself  not  merely  a prophet  of  ideas,  hut  a 
pathhnder  toward  their  realization.  Moreover,  Mr.  Stieg- 
litz  has  been  perpetually  a counterpoise  of  sanity,  resisting 
the  tendency  to  run  after  strange  gods,  to  indulge  in 
“faked”  effects,  and  to  consider  that  the  end  always  justi- 
fies the  means. 

“Faked  effects”  may  sound  a strong  term,  but  with 
what  other  can  one  describe  the  old  so-called  “moonlight” 
scenes  which  were  taken  in  full  daylight  with  the  camera 
pointed  at  the  sun,  occasion  being  chosen  when  a passing 
cloud  veiled  the  intensity  of  its  glare.?  An  effect  was 
obtained  which  unquestionably  suggested  moonlight;  but 
failed  entirely  to  render  the  mvstery  of  night,  the  subtle 
pranks  which  the  lights  and  shadows  play.  In  fact,  it 
was  not  a picture  of  moonlight,  hut  of  something  that  to 
the  thoughtless  and  easily  satisfied  might  seem  to  he  “just 
as  good” — not  a record  of  nature,  hut  a fake.  VTry  often 
it  w'as  an  extremely  pretty  one,  and  to  a great  many  people 
prettiness  represents  the  limit  of  their  comprehension  in 
art.  vSo  these  “moonlights”  pleased,  and  the  discovery 
that  thev  were  faked  lent  a further  zest.  The  “Who’d 
have  thought  it?”  followed  on  the  “Oh!  my,  how  pretty!” 
and  that  curious  trait  of  human  nature,  recognized  by 
Ifarnum,  was  satisfied.  Hut  an  artist  is  not  satisfied  with 
prettiness;  he  searches  fi)r  beauty,  and,  in  his  study  of 


30 


By  A If  red  Stieglitz^  1807 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


nature,  linds  it  through  truth  to  nature.  The  only  moon- 
light picture  that  could  begin  to  satisfy  him  was  a picture 
ot  moonlight.  Experimenting  in  this  direction,  another 
artist,  Mr.  Wm.  A.  Frazer,  succeeded  in  obtaining  moon- 
light landscapes  at  night  with  an  exposure  of  some  ten 


By  Alfred  Stieg’liiZf  iQOO 

THE  AFTERNOON  VISIT 

( IVom  the  “ Photographic  Journal  of  a Baby  ”) 


minutes.  This,  of  ccnirse,  precluded  the  introduction  of 
moving  objects,  and  Mr.  Stieglitz  pushed  his  investigations 
still  further  until  he  was  able  to  take  a rapid  picture  of  a 
street  at  night,  animated  by  vehicles  and  pedestrians.  He 
has  made  a present  of  this  discovery,  as  of  his  other  ones, 
to  the  photographic  world;  for  he  is  an  amateur  in  the 
strictest  sense  of  the  word,  impelled  only  by  a love  of  his 
art  and  a desire  for  its  advancement;  devoting  any  money 
that  remains  from  the  sale  of  prints  to  further  research, 
the  results  of  which  in  time  become  public  property. 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


In  this  connection  allusion  may  be  made  to  the  propa- 
ganda he  has  maintained  by  voice  and  pen.  His  corre- 
spondence with  photographers  throughout  the  world  and 
contributions  to  periodicals,  apart  from  his  editorial  work, 
have  been  continuous  and  influential.  His  writings  are 
terse  and  to  the  point ; hacked  with  so  much  knowledge 
and  so  disinterested  that  they  command  respect  even  from 
those  who  are  disinclined  to  accept  his  views.  There  are 
heartburnings  among  photographers  as  among  co-workers 
in  other  lines,  and  Mr.  Stieglitz  has  received  a lull  share 
ol  knocks  from  opponents,  hut  I dcnibt  if  there  is  a 
single  one  of  the  latter  who  does  not  heartilv  respect  him 
even  while  he  thumps  him.  He  alse^  is  an  accomplished 
thumper  ; delivering  his  blows  with  telling  directness,  the 
effect  of  which  it  is  difficult  to  explain  away.  For  it 
cannot  he  said  that  he  has  any  private  ends  to  serve,  or 
that  he  is  merely  an  artistic  visionarv,  or,  on  the  other 
hand,  that  he  is  only  a scientist  with  no  feeling  for  art. 
So  he  is  a troublesome  antagonist,  and  even  those  who 
resent  his  dc  facto  leadership  among  American  photog- 
raphers are  hound  to  admit  that  he  has  not  sought  the 
honor,  hut  that  it  has  gro^^'n  around  his  personalitv 
through  his  qualificatioiis  fitting  so  admirably  the  circum- 
stances and  needs  of  the  time.  Moreover,  it  is  not  only 
by  direct  exertion  of  his  talents  that  he  has  reached  his 
position.  People  approach  him  in  various  wavs;  to  secure 
his  pictures  at  exhibitions  and  himself  as  a juror;  to  have 
him  lecture;  and  to  seek  his  advice  in  problems  with 
which  they  are  wrestling.  'I'hus,  he  has  had  forced  upon 
him  the  role  of  spokesman  and  counsellor,  and  in  both 
capacities  is  actuated  simplv  hv  what  he  conceives  to  he  the 
best  interests  of  the  art  to  which  he  has  devoted  his  life. 


33 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


It  was  mentioned  above  that  he  has  always  combated 
the  doctrine  that  the  end  justihes  the  means.  His  atti- 
tude upon  this  subject  is  that  the  photographer  should 
rely  upon  means  really  photographic  ; that  is  to  say,  upon 
those  which  grow  out  of  and  belong  to  the  technical 
process.  For  example,  he  objects  to  the  “touching  up” 
ot  a negative  by  taking  out  the  high  lights  or  by  deepen- 
ing shadows,  because  this  imparts  a foreign  element. 
The  operator  ceases  to  rely  upon  the  actual  scientific 
process  and  is  “ getting  around  ” the  deficiencies  of  his 
plate  or  of  his  own  skill  by  what  is,  after  all,  a subter- 
fuge. He  does  not  deny  that  in  certain  cases  a beautiful 
effect  has  been  obtained,  but,  detecting  the  trick,  feels  a 
jar.  The  picture  is  not  exclusively  a photograph.  On 
the  other  hand,  he  advocates  and  practises  the  fullest 
control  of  the  result,  both  in  the  way  of  emphasizing 
certain  parts,  and  of  reducing  or  eliminating  others. 
The  gist  of  his  argument  consists  in  the  fact  that  through 
the  modern  improvements  in  developing  and  printing,  the 
operator  not  onlv  has  almost  unlimited  control  over  the 
result,  but  even  can  metamorphose  the  original.  One 
sees  photographs,  for  example,  which  look  as  if  they  were 
charcoal  drawings,  etchings,  or  wash-drawings;  the  pho- 
tographer with  brush  or  needle  having  simulated  these 
effects.  Of  these  i\Ir.  Stieglitz  would  be  disposed  to  say: 
“ '^Ts,  they  are  beautiful  as  pictures,  but  do  not  ask  me  to 
regard  them  seriously  as  photographs.  If  a man  wishes 
to  get  a charcoal  effect,  let  him  use  charcoal ; why  burden 
bimself  with  the  restrictions  and  difficulties  of  the  camera, 
when  he  can  accomplish  his  purpose  so  much  more 
readilv  and  eff'ectivelv  \\ith  a bit  of  burnt  wood?”  His 
friend  might  reply  : “ I am  seeking  certain  results ; the 


34 


A STUDY  IN  TWO  COLORS 


By  A If  red  Sticglitz^  iJigS 


(Reproduction  from  a glycerine  print  in  two  colors — the  process  improved  by  Messrs.  Stieglit^  and  Jos.  T.  Keiley.) 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


means  are  immaterial  ; I use  photography  as  the  readiest 
to  my  hand,  but  do  not  regard  her  as  a mistress  with 
divine  rights,  but  as  a servant  to  do  my  bidding.”  “ But 
there  are  servants  and  servants,”  Mr.  Stieglitz  would 
rejoin,  “ Some  learned  in  horses,  some  in  the  mysteries  ot 
the  toilet,  others  in  the  cooking  of  cutlets — and  reason 
would  suggest  relying  upon  their  individual  capacities. 
The  arts  equally  have  distinct  departments,  and  unless 
photography  has  its  own  possibilities  ot  expression, 
separate  from  those  of  the  other  arts,  it  is  merely  a 
process,  not  an  art ; but  granted  that  it  is  an  art,  reliance 
should  he  placed  unreservedly  upon  those  possibilities,  that 
they  mav  he  made  to  yield  the  fullest  results.” 

As  chronicler  in  these  pages  ot  our  leading  photog- 
raphers, I do  not  take  sides  in  the  controversy  ; preterring 
to  adopt  the  non-committal  attitude  of  the  theological 
student  who,  when  he  was  asked  to  distinguish  between 
the  “ major  and  min(,)r  prophets,”  humbly  replied  ; “ Far 
he  it  trom  me  to  draw  distinctions  between  such  holy 
men.”  But,  whatever  may  be  the  merits  ot  the  case,  it 
must  he  admitted  that  this  doctrine  ot  photography  tor 
photographers,  so  ahlv  and  staunchly  maintained,  has  been 
most  opp(.)rtune  and  usetul. 

'The  art  is  new  ; its  road  is  being  gradually  laid, 
“ slowlv  broadening  down  trom  precedent  to  prece- 
dent,” and  the  tendency  cd  men,  seeking  tor  individual 
manner  ot  expressicm,  is  to  wander  oft  the  track.  The 
influence  ot  Mr.  Stieylitz  has  been  the  conservative 
one  ot  insisting  upon  the  value  ot  the  main  road,  while 
his  scientific  knowledge  and  his  own  artistic  producticuis 
have  kept  him  in  the  van  ot  those  \\ho  are  continually 
pushing  it  torward. 


REFJ.ECTIONS— XIGIIT,  NEW  YORK 

(First  night  photograph  made  with  the  introduction  of  life) 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


In  common  with  all  the  best  photographers,  he  lays 
great  stress  upon  the  mounting  and  framing  of  the  prints. 
Size,  shape,  color,  and  texture  of  the  mount  and  the  color 
and  character  ot  the  frame  are  all  considered  with  a 
special  regard  for  the  color  and  character  of  the  print,  so 
that  a complete  harmoniousness  may  be  obtained.  In 
this  respect  the  photographers  as  a body  have  shown 
themselves  more  artistic  than  the  painters,  who  are  gradu- 
ally realizing  the  inappropriateness  of  most  of  the  gilded 
abominations  in  which  they  frame  their  pictures.  These 
are  generally  made  in  factories  by  artisans,  skilful  enough, 
hut  having  no  artistic  sensibility,  or,  for  that  matter,  any 
chance  of  displaying  it  if  they  possess  it,  since  the  frames 
are  not  designed  for  the  pictures,  but  turned  out  in  pat- 
terns which  aim  mainly  at  elaborateness  of  commonplace 
ornament  and  excessive  glare  of  gilt.  How  often  does 
one  see  such  incongruity  as  the  face  of  a maiden  with 
sweet,  wistful  eyes  peering  out  of  a frame  bedizened  with 
the  vulgar  trimmings  invented  in  the  ostentatious  court  of 
the  Graiid  Ylonarch  ; or  a tender  landscape,  whose  deli- 
cate atmosphere  is  sucked  up  by  the  hot  glare  of  gilt 
around  it.  Such  inartistic  anomalies  are  common  enough 
in  every  gallerv  of  paintings,  but  rarely  seen  in  a photo- 
graphic exhihititm.  I'he  reason  is  that  the  photographers 
have  more  completely  realized  the  beauty  ot  tofic ; and 
this  from  the  nature  of  their  craft.  For,  whether  they 
print  their  pictures  in  gray,  black,  brown,  or  some  other 
tint,  they  are  practically  limited  to  one  color  and  must 
obtain  \’ariety  and  harmony  by  playing  upon  subtle 
gradations  from  tbe  darkest  to  the  lightest  parts.  One 
may  compare  the  virtuosity  of  the  violinist  who,  in  the 
sweep  of  his  bow  over  a single  note,  can  produce  robust- 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


ness  of  sound  and  a variety  oi  differently  modulated 
expressions,  dying  away  into  tremulous  vibrations.  We 
say  he  is  extracting  tone  from  his  instrument,  and  hy 
analogy  apply  the  same  word,  tone,  to  the  artist’s  manage- 
ment of  his  single  color.  Tone  is  equally  applied  to 
similar  management  of  many  combined  colors.  The 
photographer’s  feeling  for  tone  does  not  stop  short  at  the 
edges  of  the  print  ; he  tries  to  make  the  frame  con- 
tribute to  the  effect  hy  a harmony  either  of  similaritv  or 
contrast ; hy  making  the  frame  form  one  of  the  grada- 
tions of  tint,  or  by  introducing  into  it  another  color  that 
will  hy  contrast  enforce  the  picture  within.  It  is  no 
uncommon  thing  for  a photographer  to  experiment  ftir 
several  months  with  the  framing  and  mounting  of  a 
print;  hanging  it  where  he  can  see  it  frequently  and 

study  it  with  a fresh  eye,  gradually  amending  his  original 
conception  of  the  setting  until  it  satisfies  him. 

As  a key  to  the  consideration  of  Ylr.  Stieglitz’s  own 
work  as  an  artist,  it  may  he  repeated  that  his  prominent 
characteristic  is  the  balanced  interest  which  he  feels  in 
science  as  well  as  art.  Interwoyen  with  the  artist’s  enjoy- 
ment of  beauty  and  the  man’s  interest  in  human  nature  is 
the  expert’s  delight  in  seeing  in  his  work  the  evidence  of 
scientific  problems  solved.  He  is  hy  conviction  and 

instinct  an  exponent  of  the  “straight  photograph;” 
working  chiefly  in  the  open  air,  with  rapid  exposure; 

leaving  his  models  to  pose  themselves,  and  reiving  for 

results  upon  means  strictly  photographic,  ffe  is  tc^  he 
counted  among  the  Impressionists  ; fully  ca>nceiving  his 
picture  before  he  attempts  to  take  it,  seeking  for  effects 
of  vivid  actuality,  and  reducing  the  final  record  to  its 
simplest  terms  of  expression.  It  will  be  remembered 


39 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


that  Dr.  Emerson  said  of  the  print  v/ith  which  he  won 
his  hrst  distinction  that  it  was  the  only  one  in  the  collec- 
tion which  had  spontaneousness.  The  subject  of  N Good 
"Jokt’  is  a group  of  thirteen  women  and  children  standing 
near  a water-trough  in  an  Italian  street.  They  are 

engrossed  in  doing  nothing  in  a manner  charmingly 
Italian,  and  a laugh  is  rippling  from  face  to  face,  started, 
one  may  suspect,  by  the  artist.  It  represents  a vivid 
moment  of  actual  life.  So  far  it  is  impressionistic.  But 
in  this  early  picture  there  seem  to  be  evidences  that  the 
hgures  were  posed  by  the  artist.  If  that  be  so,  he  has 
long  abandoned  the  practice.  He  takes  snap-shots,  but 
does  not  touch  the  button  until  he  has  completely 
thought  out  the  pictures,  studied  exactly  the  scene,  con- 
ditions of  light  and  position  of  the  hgures,  and  then  bides 
his  time  until  the  conditions  are  possible,  and  then  again 
waits  for  the  hgures,  unconsciously,  to  pose  themselves. 
The  only  chance  upon  which  he  depends  is  the  one  of 
eventually  getting  his  hgures  in  the  place  and  pose  that 
he  desires.  If  that  does  not  happen  neither  does  the 
picture.  Another  fault  of  that  early  picture  is  its  lack  of 
condensation.  It  brims  over  with  interest,  hut  the  inter- 
est is  too  scattered.  Each  face  is  a capital  study,  and  the 
eve  w'anders  from  one  to  the  other;  this  very  dihusion  of 
interest  interfering  wdth  a simple,  unihed  expression  of 
the  whole  group.  In  a word  the  scene  is  a literal  tran- 
script from  nature,  rather  than  an  artist’s  pictorial  impres- 
sion of  it.  'This  is  not  a characteristic  of  Mr.  Stieglitz’s 
mature  work,  in  wdiich  he  invariahlv  emphasizes  the 
important  facts  of  the  scene,  eliminating  or  moderating 
the  less  important,  and  bringing  every  detail  into  due 
sulH)rdination  to  a single  effect  of  telling  simplicity.  A 


40 


PORTRAIT  OF  A DUTCH  WOMAN' 


By  Alfred  Sieigliiz,  iSij4 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


very  fine  example  ol  this  is  shown  in  the  reproduction 
ot  Gossip — Katwyk.  Before  discussing  it,  however,  we 

should  rememher  that  a “ half-tone  reproduction,”  no 
matter  with  what  skill  and  care  it  he  made,  cannot  render 
faithfully  the  delicate  modulations  of  tone  in  the  original 
print.  The  minute  mesh  of  cross  lines  reduces  the 
brilliance  both  of  the  whitest  and  blackest  parts  ; tending 
to  a general  shrinkage  in  the  range  of  tints  or  “values” 
and  battening  the  picture,  with  a resultant  loss  of  distance 
and  atmosphere.  In  Gossip,  for  example,  the  sky  has 
been  deadened,  the  vibration  of  light  is  scarcely  repre- 
sented, and  its  suggestion  of  atmosphere  and  hreeziness 
much  diminished.  Moreover,  the  crests  of  the  waves, 
and  particularly  the  caps  of  the  women,  do  not  present 
the  vivacity  of  contrast  which  is  noticeable  in  the  original. 

Hut  to  return  to  the  Gossip — how  simple  it  is  and 
what  impressive  realism  in  the  simplicity  ! The  broad 
sweep  of  open  skv,  the  strip  of  waves  following  one  upon 
another,  and  the  stretch  of  sand,  over  part  of  which  the 
water  slides,  are  racy  of  free,  fresh  vastness.  You  may 
feel  the  scene  to  be  a little  drear,  yet  what  invigoration 
there  is,  echoed  in  the  sturdy  forms  and  energetic  action 
of  the  two  women  and  the  blunt  strength  ch  the  boat. 
Boat,  ocean,  and  wives,  and  a sense  of  isolation — the  life 
and  romance  of  a little  fishing  village  admirably  epitom- 
ized. The  highest  praise  one  can  give  the  picture  is  to 
sav  that  it  reaches  the  heart  of  the  matter  with  the  same 
directness  and  svmpathy  that  characterize  the  works  of 
the  Dutch  artists  Israels  and  Bloomers.  One  distinguishes 
these  qualities  again  in  I'hc  Net  Motder  and  the  Portrait 
of  a Datr/i  IPoauui.  Thev  have  the  intimate  feeling  that 
usuallv  Dutch  artists  alone  can  impart  to  Dutch  subjects. 


(2 


THE  NET  MENDER 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


In  the  case  of  the  portrait  most  strangers  would  have 
unduly  emphasized  the  ruggedness  of  the  face  or  the 
delicate  linen  cap,  and  insisted  probably  on  the  woman 
donning  her  gala  attire,  and  have  elaborated  what  they 
are  pleased  to  call  her  “picturesqueness.”  But  in  his 
desire  to  reach  the  humanity  of  his  subject  Mr.  Stieglitz 
has  controlled  his  record  masterfully.  The  breadth  of 
the  ligure  is  felt  rather  than  seen  ; our  notice  being 
drawn  to  the  long,  powerful  arm ; just  enough  definition 
is  given  to  the  cap  to  suggest  its  freshness  and  homely 
elegance ; nothing  is  permitted  to  interfere  with  the 
strong,  sweet  earnestness  of  the  face.  This,  too,  is  kept 
in  control  ; the  weatherbeaten  fiesh  and  massive  skull 
being  softened  to  a mystery  of  tenderness  by  the  shadows, 
so  that  looking  forth  from  her  eyes  is  the  soul  of  a 
woman,  wholesome,  strong  and  lovable.  Nor  let  us 
omit  the  ample  distribution  of  dark  passages  in  the  pic- 
ture, knowingly  diversified  and  spotted  with  the  head  and 
hands,  the  very  pattern  of  black  and  white  contributing 
to  the  expression  of  the  woman’s  character.  The  Net 
Mender  is  a study  of  a type  rather  than  of  an  individual, 
a familiar  feature  of  the  shore  at  Katwvk,  seeming  to 
belong  to  it  as  naturally  as  the  tufts  of  grass,  embodying 
even  the  spirit  of  the  scene.  The  figure,  notwithstanding 
its  firmness,  is  supple  and  admirably  adjusted  to  the  spaces 
around  it,  and  from  edge  to  edge  of  the  frame  there  is 
not  an  atom  of  jar  upon  the  pensive  tranquility  of  feeling 
that  breathes  through  the  picture.  It  is  one  that  Alillet 
might  have  conceived. 

1 ndsh  that  others  (,)f  these  Dutch  pictures  could  have 
been  reproduced,  such  as  Teurrxifig  Home  and  IVniting  for 
the  Touts,  also  (Uher  examples  of  the  Italian  and  Swiss 


14 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


series.  It  is  in  his  treatment  of  the  human  siihject  in 
relation  to  outdoor  scenes  that  Air.  Stieglitz  has  exhibited 
the  most  distinguished  skill.  Nor  is  he  one  ol  those  who 
despair  of  discovering  pictorial  motive  at  home.  The 
human  nature  which  attracts  him  he  hnds  most  free  from 
artihciality  in  the  streets  of  cities.  New  ^ ork  in  its 
scenic  and  human  aspects  he  has  studied  exhaustivelv,  ami 
one  hopes  that  the  results  will  some  day  he  published,  for 
they  would  give  a record  of  city  life  witlnnit  a parallel. 
Reproduced  here  are  two  of  his  famous  series  of  night 
views  of  New  York,  one  of  them  memorable  as  being  the 
first  night  photograph  made  in  which  life  is  intrcxluced. 
In  both,  the  combined  effects  of  brilliant  and  of  diffused 
light  are  remarkable,  and  An  Ley  Night  amply  justifies 
his  contention  that  a certain  airunint  of  “halation”  (the 
muzzy  halo  surrounding  some  of  the  lights)  is  true  to 
facts  and  pictorially  pleasant.  In  this  picture,  also,  one 
notes  with  what  fine  precision  the  reaching  distances  of 
the  scenes  are  rendered.  Considering  the  absence  of 
light,  the  depth  of  the  picture  and  the  suhtletv  of  its 
“ values  ” are  surprising.  Another  famous  New  ’Wirk 
series  is  the  one  of  snow  scenes,  of  which  a well-kno\^ul 
example  showed  a Fifth  Avenue  stage  ploughing  through 
the  newdy-fallen  snow;  a picture  fine  in  composition 
and  in  its  suggestion  of  solemn  desolation,  full  of  atmos- 
phere and  wn')nderfullv  true  in  the  receding  distances 
of  the  waste  of  snow.  Like  all  his  wmrk,  it  represents  a 
conception  thought  out  and  vividly  realized  before  the 
camera  w'as  set  in  place.  In  connection  with  these  snow 
pictures  there  is  an  amusing  storv.  One  night  he  \\as 
awakened  by  a blizzard,  and  getting  up  and  putting  on 
many  layers  of  clothing,  crept  from  the  Innise.  He  set 


45 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


his  shoulders  to  the  storm  and  worked  his  way  backward 
up  the  street ; at  one  moment  having  his  camera  swept 
from  his  hands  and  carried  far  by  the  wind,  but  eventually 
obtaining  a picture.  Soon  after  daybreak,  when  the 
storm  had  cleared,  other  photographers  began  to  arrive, 
to  whom  the  policeman,  emerging  from  his  shelter, 
remarked:  “Ah!  you  tellers  ain’t  the  first;  there  was  a 

d d tool  here  in  the  middle  ot  the  night.”  With 

one  accord  they  exclaimed,  “ Stieglitz  ! ” 

No  picture  has  secured  its  author  more  deserved  repu- 
tation than  the  Portrait  of  Mr.  R.  One  need  not  have 
known  the  subject  to  teel  sure  that  it  is  a characteristic 
likeness  ot  a most  interesting  personality;  a man  of 
mental  power  and  tender  qualities  and,  above  all,  of  beau- 
tiful poise  of  character.  One  can  read  the  last  in  the 
lean  of  the  head  and  the  carriage  of  the  two  hands,  a 
pose  at  once  spcnitaneous  and  reposetul ; evidently  habitual. 
Moreover,  it  is  a handsome  picture,  rich  in  color-tone, 
with  a noble  simplicitv  in  the  distribution  of  light  and 
dark  and  a gradation  from  the  blackest  to  whitest  that 
moves  in  a slow,  impressive  crescendo;  the  extremes  of 
each  meeting  beneath  the  face  and  giving  it  additional 
distinction.  The  mingled  firmness  and  mohilitv  of  the 
features  and  the  soft  luxuriance  of  the  hair  are  exquisitely 
rendered.  In  fact,  the  more  one  studies  the  picture,  the 
grander  and  sweeter  it  appears.  It  was  achieved  by  the 
squeezing  of  a rubber  hulh  held  perdu  in  the  artist’s 
pocket,  for  the  subject  did  not  know  that  he  was  being 
photographed.  Hut  it  represents  preliminary  study  extend- 
ing over  more  than  two  years,  d'he  gentleman  was 
habitually  composed,  hut  stiffened  at  once  into  unnatural 
self-consciousness  at  anv  suggestion  of  a sitting.  Mr. 


46 


By  A //red  Si/e^/i/a,  iSq8. 


“ SEI'TEMBER” 

(Reproduced  from  a p;um-bic1iroiuate  print  in  India  ink  on  tinted  paper) 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


Stieglitz  cultivated  his  friendship  and  studied  his  charac- 
teristics, until  one  day,  during  a summer  visit  to  Lake 
George,  he  laid  his  plans  for  securing  a picture.  The 
camera  was  in  readiness,  facing  a background  of  trees ; 
for,  little  as  one  would  suspect  it,  the  picture  was  taken 
in  the  open  air.  The  artist  invited  his  friend  for  a stroll, 
chatting  meanwhile  of  a picture  he  proposed  to  take. 
On  reaching  the  camera,  he  expressed  a doubt  as  to  how 
much  of  a scene  he  should  include,  and  begged  Mr.  R.  to 
stand  for  a moment  that  he  might  compare  the  scale  of 
the  hgure  with  that  of  the  landscape.  Without  a sus- 
picion the  gentleman  placed  himself,  assuming  his  accus- 
tomed attitude;  and  the  next  moment  his  portrait  had 
been  secured. 

Devotion  to  art  is  most  charmingly  mingled  with  the 
personal  element  in  a long  series  of  pictures,  still  growing, 
entitled,  'Hie  Photographic  yoarnal  of  a Baby.  Both  the 
originality  of  the  idea  and  the  methodic  completeness 
of  its  realization  are  eminently  characteristic.  The  exam- 
ples illustrated  are  not  to  he  regarded  as  pictures ; they 
are  simplv  studies  of  hahv  life  ; artless,  lovable  incidents 
that  had  been  watched  and  noted  many  a time  before  they 
were  permanentlv  recorded. 

A word  must  he  said  of  St/uiv  in  'Two  Colors.  In 
the  original  the  face  is  a pale  nut-hrowu,  a savor  of  the 
same  being  appreciable  in  the  lace.  It  is  an  example  of 
the  improved  glvcerine  prcK'ess  perfected  by  Messrs. 
Stieglitz  and  foseph  B'.  Keilev,  which  enables  the  artist 
to  increase  or  retard  the  development  of  the  print  and  to 
introtluce  a coloring  pigment.  'I’he  intention  here  is  not 
to  present  the  color  of  the  desh,  hut  to  infuse  an  accidental 
note  into  the  harmony  of  hlack  and  white. 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


In  final  summary  of  this  appreciation  of  Mr.  Stieglitz 
and  his  work,  I would  reiterate  that  the  personal  qualifica- 
tion, which  has  made  his  influence  upon  pictorial  photog- 
raphy so  widely  felt  and  valuable,  is  the  rare  balance  in 
him  of  scientific  knowledge  and  artistic  feeling,  joined  to 
a character  enthusiastic,  powerful  and  sympathetic.  Re- 
garding his  pictures,  one  may  end  as  one  began  with  Dr. 
Emerson’s  word,  “ Spontaneousness.”  He  excels  in  studies 
of  human  subjects,  and  in  his  best  examples  attains  a 
realism  that  is  no  bare  record  of  facts  but  the  realization 
of  a vivid  mental  conception.  When  he  sets  his  figures 
in  a scene  they  become  part  of  it  and  one  with  it  in  spirit. 
He  puts  them  there  because  he  has  seen  that  they  belong 
to  it.  His  sentiment,  never  degenerating  into  senti- 
mentality, is  always  wholesome  and  sincere,  and  his 
pictures  have  the  added  charm  of  handsome  arrangement 
and  of  simple  and  controlled  impressiveness.  In  his  hands 
the  “ straight  photograph,”  in  the  broadest  sense  of  the 
term,  is  triumphantly  vindicated. 


49 


Tf  : , 


CHAPTER  III. 


By  Gertrude  Kasebier,  i8yy 


••  DECORATIVE  PANEL 


HI 


By  Gertrude  Kascbier^  igoi 
“GOING  TO  BOSTON” 


CHAPTER  III 

Mrs.  Gertrude  Kasebier  and  ehe  Artistic- 

CoMMERCMAL  PORTRAIT 

R8.  KASEBIER  will  tell  you  that  she  is  a 
commercial  photographer ; unqiiestiouahlv 
she  is  an  artist.  The  union  in  her  work  ot 
these  two  motives  forms  a study  ot  more 
than  usual  interest. 

There  are  several  kinds  ot  commercial  photographer, 
all  united  in  the  purpose  ot  making  a livelihood  out  ot 
their  work,  hut  varying  in  the  ideals  which  they  set 
themselves.  One  will  give  his  clients  the  least  for  their 
money,  cheapening  on  material  and  process,  so  that  the 
photograph  will  haye  not  eyen  permanency.  Others, 


ss 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


either  from  honesty  of  purpose  or  because  they  are  in  a 
position  to  demand  better  prices,  will  use  only  the  best 
instruments  and  materials  and  the  most  thorough  process, 
so  that  their  prints  will  stand  the  wear  of  time.  Among 

the  latter  group  are 
many  who  try  in  various 
ways  to  make  their 
photographs  pictures. 
Lastly,  there  are  a few 
who  succeed  in  this 
respect  and  produce 
truly  artistic  work. 
Preeminent  among  them 
is  Mrs.  Kasebier. 

The  portrait  forms 
so  large  a part  of  her 
work  that  we  will  study 
her  art  particularly  in 
this  direction ; and  it 
is  worth  while  just  to 
try  and  reach  a mutual 
understanding  of  what 
\/e  mean  by  an  artistic  portrait,  lor  really  the  sitter 
has  a large  share  in  determining  the  result.  I’he  pho- 
tographer has  to  give  his  client  what  the  latter  desires 
or  go  out  oi  business  ; so  public  taste  may  he  a stimulus 
to  him,  while  the  lack  of  it  acts  as  a constant  drag  upon 
the  free  play  of  his  imagination  and  skill. 

If  one  asks  what  is  understood  hv  a portait,  the 
answer  in  nine  cases  out  of  ten  will  he  “a  good  likeness.” 
And  this  represents  a very  important  quality;  one  that  is 
sometimes  overlooked  hv  advanced  artistic  photographers. 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


who  in  their  zeal  to  make  an  attractive  picture  will  pay 
scant  courtesy  to  the  features.  Yet,  after  all,  to  the 
friends  of  the  person  photographed  it  is,  not  unjustly,  a 
first  desideratum  that  the  portrait  shall  be  a good  likeness. 
But  of  what  ? A faith- 
ful representation  of 
the  features  is  not 
enough.  Occasionally, 
it  is  true,  one  sees  a 
face  so  faultlessly  and 
regularly  modeled  that 
it  has  the  beauty  of  a 
statue ; almost  always 
“ it  is  icily  regular, 
splendidly  null,”  and 
the  mere  touching  of 
the  button  may  record 
everything  which  it 
has  to  give  us.  But 
generally  features  are 
less  regular;  a faultless 
detail  may  be  balanced  by  one  less  perfect,  or  the 
features  may  all  be  open  to  criticism,  and  yet  the 
whole  face  charming  by  reason  of  its  expression. 
Indeed,  we  shall  admit  that  play  of  expression  and 
mobility  of  features  are  in  most  cases  the  chief  charm, 
while  the  rendering  of  these  qualities  is  the  most  difficult 
thing  in  photography.  For  the  source  of  the  charm  is 
its  spontaneousness,  which  in  presence  of  the  camera  is 
apt  to  disappear,  the  features  stiffening.  You  wish  to  look 
vour  best  and  succeed  in  lookinv  vour  worst,  or  even  like 
nothing  that  your  friends  will  recognize.  But  this  expres- 


By  Gertrude  Keisebier,  iSg7 
“PORTRAIT  OF  MR.  B.” 


57 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


sion  is  itself  a radiation  from  the  mind  and  character 
within.  In  the  case  of  a little  child,  for  example,  over 
whose  face  there  is  a continual  ripple  of  animation,  it  is 
the  result  of  a nimhle  and  sunny  temperament.  If  the 
photographer  can  catch  the  child  unconscious,  he  will 
probably  catch  the  sunshine.  But  as  the  character 
develops  in  youth,  doubt  and  hope  and  wonder  and  a 
hundred  dim  surmises  ruffle  the  surface ; the  face  laughs 
this  moment,  is  pensive  the  next ; neither  is  the  whole 
character,  only  a suggestion  of  both  will  suffice.  In  later 
life  character  becomes  more  fixed,  but  often  no  less  com- 
plicated. Shall  we  be  satisfied  with  a rendering  of  features 
that  does  not  mirror  something  of  this  inner  personality  .? 

You  may  think  the  question  involves  its  own  answer; 
hut  unfortunately  it  does  not  do  so  in  the  case  of  every- 
body. I could  name  a portrait  painter,  a fashionable  one, 
which  means  he  has  an  extensive  clientage,  of  whom  it  is 
said  that  he  always  secures  a good  likeness.  It  may  he  so 
as  far  as  the  features  are  concerned,  hut  if  you  do  not 
know  the  ladies  or  gentlemen  depicted  the  portraits  will 
mean  nothing  to  you.  You  are  quite  prepared  to  find 
eves,  nose  and  mouth  represented,  but  in  their  arrange- 
ment you  look  in  vain  for  individuality  of  expression, 
something  that  will  identify  itself  in  your  imagination 
with  a separate  character,  that,  as  vou  studv  the  picture, 
will  cause  you  to  feel  you  are  making  the  acquaintance  of 
an  actual  personal! tv.  On  the  other  hand,  the  great  por- 
traits of  the  world,  which  have  survived  the  judgment  of 
time,  ami  are  agreed  to  he  great  by  succeeding  generations 
of  cultivated  persons,  owe  their  eminence  partly,  it  is  true, 
to  their  technical  excellence,  hut  a great  deal  more  to  the 
undehatahle,  perennially  certain  fact  that  they  represent 


By  Gertrude  Kasebier,  iqoo 


MR.  A.  M. 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


human  beings  with  such  insight  into  character  and  fulness 
of  expression  that,  although  centuries  may  have  elapsed, 
and  our  modern  ideas  ot  life  be  entirely  different  on  the 
surface,  those  portraits  have  a fundamental  relation  to  a 
common  humanity.  Their  painters  secured  a vivid  realiza- 
tion of  character,  the  vital  facts  which  constitute  a 
separate  human  identity,  and  we  look  into  their  faces  as 
into  those  of  our  acquaintances  and  friends. 

Unlike  the  photographer  in  active  work,  the  painter 
can  reach  his  results  gradually,  having  the  advantage  of 
many  sittings,  during  which  he  is  learning  more  and  more 
of  the  sitter’s  characteristics.  He  can  scrape  his  canvas 
clean  and  begin  again,  gradually  through  mistakes  reach- 
ing the  residt  which  seems  to  justify  him  in  laying  down 
the  brush  and  saying  the  portrait  is  finished.  In  fact,  he 
is  not  dependent  upon  the  sitter’s  appearance  or  condition 
of  mind  at  any  one  moment,  or  upon  his  own  momentary 
ability  to  compass  the  problem.  The  photographer  is 
dependent  upon  both.  Such  limitations  call  for  very 
exceptional  powers,  and  explain  why  so  few  photographs 
are  really  good  portraits.  The  photographer  must  have 
not  onlv  insight  into  character,  but  its  keenness  perpetually 
sharpened  to  a point  ; he  must  have  the  sympathetic 
faculty  to  gain  the  confidence  of  his  subject,  and  the  same 
coiitinually,  as  it  were,  on  tap.  But  people  whose 
analytical  and  sympathetic  faculties  are  most  alert  are  just 
the  ones  whose  temperaments  are  most  susceptible.  The 
least  little  thing  may  disturb  their  ecjuilibrium ; the  chance 
remark  of  a sitter  as  she  enters  the  studio,  some  detail  of 
her  dress  or  manner  may  stir  an  involuntary  antagonism, 
which  has  to  be  gulped  down  and  forcibly  put  out  of 
memory  before  the  w'ork  can  pnK'eed. 


6o 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


Again,  even  among  people  who  realize  what  a portrait 
should  he,  there  is  much  misconception  as  to  what  consti- 
tutes a good  photograph  portrait.  The  most  common  is 
that  it  should  be  clear  and  distinct,  full  of  dehnition,  the 
features  clearly  rendered,  the  dress — ah,  how  important  a 
consideration  ! — distinctly  recorded.  Yet  if  people  would 
study  each  other  across  the  space  of  an  ordinary  sitting- 
room,  they  would  discover  how  little  dehnition  they, 
respectively,  present.  They  become  patches  of  color 
against  the  colors  of  the  walls  and  furniture  ; thev  are 
animated,  individual  personalities,  and  yet  the  outlines  of 
their  hgures  are  not  rigidly  carved,  hut  merge  with  the 
surroundings,  and  are  softened  by  atmosphere.  Still,  how 
charming  they  all  look,  so  spontaneously  alive  and  inter- 
esting, and  how  their  gowns  become  them ! If  they 

would  pursue  the  study 
further  they  would  hnd 
how  large  a part  the 
distribution  of  light  and 
shade  plays  in  the  at- 
tractiven^s  of  the  scene. 
The  figures  are  not 
lighted  from  all  the 
points  of  the  compass 
in  a stark  glare,  like 
the  people  on  the  stage. 
The  real  scene  is  a 
maze  of  shadows  as  well 
as  light,  moving  with 
the  movements  of  the 
figures,  giving  a hun- 
dred different  sugges- 

6i 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


tions  of  piquancy,  dignity,  subtlety,  and  so  on.  Perhaps  no 
one  will  deny  this,  and  yet  he  or  she  will  ignore  the  logical 
conclusion,  and  visit  the  average  photographer,  who  turns 
on  the  full  light,  producing  a bald,  hard,  uniformly-lighted 
picture,  unsuggestive,  merely  obvious,  and  too  often 
commonplace.  Whereas  the  photographic  artist,  by 
skilful  adjustment  of  light  and  shade,  will  reproduce  the 
accidental  effects  that,  I hope,  we  are  willing  by  this  time 
to  concede  form  so  much  of  the  charm  in  real  life.  He 
will  go  further  and  make  them  contribute  to  the  expres- 
sion of  the  most  refined  and  persuasive  qualities  of  the 
sitter’s  character. 

Again,  we  may  have  noticed  how  the  charm  of  a 
lady’s  presence  is  enhanced  bv  her  costume  happening  to 
harmonize  with  the  colorings  of  the  room.  This  is, 
again,  an  accidental  effect,  which  the  artist  uses  with 
intention  ; placing  the  figure  in  surroundings  which  will 
add  to  its  dignity,  individuality  or  graciousness,  choosing 
colors  which  will  merge  into  a prevailing  tone  ; or,  if  he 
is  a photographer,  so  arranging  his  darks  and  lights  and 
varying  their  intensity  as  equally  to  produce  a fine  grada- 
tion of  tone  from  the  deepest  dark  to  the  brightest  light. 
And,  again,  in  the  texture  of  the  material  of  a costume 
there  is  charm.  W’e  need  scarcely  to  be  reminded  how 
different  is  the  sheen  of  satin  from  the  soft,  moss-like  sur- 
face of  velvet  ; how  extjuisite  often  is  the  union  of  white 
lace  with  the  white  hair  of  an  old  lady,  what  a different 
charm  if  the  lace  is  black,  and  so  on  through  all  the  tex- 
tures, whether  hard  or  soft,  brilliant  or  dull.  Each  has 
its  peculiar  attractiveness,  and  a clever  woman  knows 
exactly  by  which  her  special  characteristics  are  most 
helped.  But  ha\e  you  considered  how  the  beauty  of  the 


62 


FAIRY  TALES 


By  Gertrude  Kasebicr,  igoi 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


texture  depends  upon  the  amount  of  light  upon  it  and  the 
way  in  which  it  reflects  it?  How  hard  and  relentless,  for 
example,  a satin  dress  is  apt  to  look  in  full  daylight,  while 
it  has  a subtle  charm  by  artiflcial  light,  because  the  latter 
is  distributed  piecemeal  with  attendant  shadow,  instead  of 
being  all-pervasive.  Yet  the  average  photographer,  or 
his  client,  ignores  this  fact,  and  the  lady’s  form,  set  in  full 
light,  seems  sheathed  in  metal.  In  the  same  way  the  lace 
flchu  is  made  to  look  like  perforated  cardboard,  the  velvet 
like  solid  wood. 

But  whv  dwell  so  fully  on  these  points  ? Simply 
because  each  and  every  one  of  them  has  its  share  in  con- 
trihutiiig  to  the  beauty  of  the  portrait,  and  they  are  pre- 
ciselv  the  points  which  are  ignored,  alike  by  the  public 
and  the  average  photographer,  hut  are  duly  considered  by 
Mrs.  Kiisehier.  So,  at  the  risk  of  giving  much  of  the 
play  without  the  appearance  of  Hamlet,  I have  dwelt 
upon  these  points,  because  they  are  essential  to  a compre- 
heiisioii  and  appreciation  of  this  lady’s  work.  Her  por- 
traits have  character  and  individuality  ; for  uniformity  of 
deflnition  and  lighting  she  substitutes  the  suggestiveness  of 
light  and  shade ; not  merely  posing  her  flgures,  she 
composes  them  with  the  surroundings,  and  makes  the 
whole  composition  a beautiful  pattern  of  line  and  form 
and  color,  ccnitriving  at  the  same  time  that  this  pattern 
shall  help  to  elucidate  the  character.  Perhaps  by  this 
time  we  may  detect  a gentle  cynicism  in  her  avowal  that 
she  is  a commercial  photographer.  It  implies  that,  while 
she  is  making  portraits  for  a livelihood  as  well  as  practising 
an  art  she  loves,  the  exigencies  of  the  profession  some- 
times interfere  with  the  realization  of  her  ideals;  not 
always  because  time  and  opportunity  are  lacking  for 

64 


DICKEY 


Gertrude  KaseOier,  igoo 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


mature  study,  but  because,  occasionally,  the  sitter  is  not 
of  one  mind  with  herself  as  to  the  ends  in  view,  urging, 
or  at  least  desiring,  some  compromise  with  the  common- 
place. And  you  cannot  conform  to  the  average  and  be 
above  the  average  at  the  same  time,  so  the  unreasonable 
insistence  must  involve  certain  tuggings  at  the  artist’s 
heartstrings,  justifying  a little  cynicism. 

Whether  by  chance  or  design,  the  majority  of  illus- 
trations to  this  article  are  studies  of  children.  Nearly  all 
of  us  love  a child,  but  not  all  in  the  same  way.  Some 
are  so  enamored  of  the  child  being  the  promise  of  the 
man,  that  they  would  have  him  a manikin  in  petticoats 
or  short  pants ; finding  amusement  even  in  that  odious 
form  of  cuteness  known  as  “ smart.”  Others  will  load 
with  hnery  the  little  limbs  that  Nature  has  meant  for  free 
action  and  due  acquaintance  with  healthy  dirt.  These 
are  not  the  sort  of  children  in  whom  Mrs.  Kasebier  takes 
much  interest.  Her  children  are  essentially  childlike, 
fresh  little  buds  of  vitality  with  the  fragrance  of  uncon- 
sciousness. She  WOOS  them  into  her  confidence,  sets 
them  to  amusing  themselves,  or  holds  their  interest,  and 
catches  them  in  their  unsophisticated  naturalness.  I turn 
to  her  Portrait  of  a Boy,  and  find  myself  laughing.  At 
him  ? Bv  no  means  ; he  has  too  much  skull  beneath  that 
soft  thatch  of  hair,  too  much  possibility  of  character  in 
th  ose  chid-)hily  decisive  features  and  wide-apart,  honest 
eyes  to  give  any  cause  for  ridicide.  But  the  sturdy  little 
face  is  so  deliciously  childlike,  so  unconscious  of  anything 
hut  the  something  w'hich  is  making  his  brain  ponder, 
while  he  sucks  in  his  under  lip  in  a sort  of  a poise  of 
judgment,  as  to  what  the  strange  lady  is  trying  to  do  to 
him,  that  I laugh,  as  I have  laughed  on  the  top  of  a 


66 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


mountain,  in  sheer  ex- 
uberance of  spirit, 
rilled  with  the  sense 
ot  abounding  whole- 
someness. Do  you 
mark  the  extraordin- 
ary realism  of  the  soft, 
smooth  hair  and  the 
podgy  inequalities  of 
the  features Let  us 
imagine,  for  a moment, 
the  face,  as  it  would 
ordinarily  be  photo- 
graphed, white  and 
smooth,  with  only 
enough  shade  to  indi- 
cate the  modeling  of  the  features,  the  background  whitish, 
and  the  costume  derined  as  if  to  advertise  a tailor’s  stock. 
\\  ould  the  picture  have  had  the  distinction  of  this  one, 
\'iewed  only  as  an  effect  of  color,  of  tonal  arrangement  ? 
Would  the  head  have  had  the  naturalness  and  character  of 
this  one  ? Far  more,  would  there  have  been  the  mystery 
and  the  poetry  of  this  child-face  peering  out  of  the  depth 
of  shadow,  as  it  were,  into  the  obscurity  of  his  own 
future  ? Perhaps  we  reccdlect  how  the  old  Saxon  likened 
the  life  of  a man  to  the  fight  of  a bird  through  the 
dimlv-lighted  hall — out  of  the  darkness  into  the  dark- 
ness.” Some  such  depth  and  poetry  of  feeling  is  in  this 
little  portrait. 

Now  turn  to  her  Goi)ig  to  Bosto?i,  on  page  Surely, 

I mav  enjov  my  healthv  laugh  again,  if  only  at  the 
plaintive  insipidity  of  the  stuffed  lamb  and  the  lovely 

6S 


By  Gertr^ide  Kasebier^  igoo 
“MISS  SEARS” 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


inventiveness  the  artist,  who  dares  to  be  playlul  "‘ind  at 
the  same  time  can  produce  a picture  so  truly  heautitul  as 
this.  I turn  it  upside  down  and  this  way  or  tliat,  and 
every  way  it  is  heautilul.  Its  adjustment  of  the  forms  to 
the  space,  the  subtlety  of  mass  and  line  and  balance  of 
the  dark  and  light  seem  equally  admirable.  How  ^^a)n- 
derful  that  quivering  thrill  of  light  which  appears  and 
vanishes  in  the  line  of  the  string  ! The  picture  has  the 
decorative  simplicity  and  exquisite  precision  of  a hue 

Japanese  print,  and  the  feeling  expressed  by  purely 

aesthetic  qualities  is  echoed  in  the  characterization.  This 
youngster  was  evidently  a person  of  action  with  a pre- 
dilection for  the  strenuous  life.  He  would  be  in  his 

element  climbing  trees,  but  for  the  moment  must  be  held 
in  repose  without  loss  of  active  suggestion.  His  father 
has  lately  taken  a 
journey,  the  son  shall 
do  the  same.  A valise 
big  enough  to  hold 
himself  is  ready  to  his 
left  hand,  his  right  one 
holds  his  overcoat. 

He  is  prepared  for  a 
start,  and  meanwhile 
the  lamb  stands  there 
in  evidence  that  he  is 
only  playing,  after  all  ; 
and  in  order  that  the 
fun  may  ]iot  be  at  the 
child’s  expense,  the 
lamb  is  prominently  in 

the  light,  and  the  bov’s  Gertrude  KasMc,-. 

o’  J "PORTRAIT” 


69 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


own  dear  little  face  in  serious  shadow.  Comparing  this 
picture  with  the  previous  one,  can  we  refuse  to  admit 
that  in  an  artist’s  hand  shadow  as  well  as  light  will  bring 
out  character  in  the  lace 

Can  anything  be  more  childlike  and  unconscious  than 

the  expression  in  the 
face  of  Dickey,  and  the 
gesture  of  the  hands  ? 
Yet  with  all  this  artless- 
ness, how  artful  is  the 
introduction  ot  the 
dowers,  the  soft,  silk 
dchu  crossed  low  over 
the  neck,  and  the  stiff 
little  bow,  which  last 
adds  a quaint  spot  of 
emphasis,  thus  drawing 
the  eye  and  insuring 
that  the  head  shall  he 
the  drst  and  last  part 
on  which  the  attention 
rests.  The  picture  rep- 
resents a charming  little 
conceit  of  fancy,  which 
detracts  nothing  from 
its  serious  sweetness. 


By  Gcririuie  Kascbicr,  iJig? 
'MOTHER  AND  CHILD 


d he  group  called  Fdiry  Idles,  of  a lady  and  two  little 
hoys  bending  over  an  album,  involves  a more  complicated 
problem  of  composition,  lighting  and  characterization.  I 
wish  that  mv  readers  could  see  the  original  of  this, 
printed  in  brown,  with  such  a rich  range  of  tone  and 
varying  cpiality  of  color : opaque  in  the  background  on 


70 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


the  right  and  having  a wooly,  cloth-like  texture ; soft, 
transparent  on  the  children’s  hair,  smooth  and  lambent  on 
the  flesh,  and  smooth,  but  crisper  on  the  cloth  suits. 
What  complete  unanimity  of  interest  in  the  attitude  of 
the  three  heads,  and  yet  difference  of  feeling  ! One  boy, 
for  example,  attracted  lightly 
by  the  picture,  the  other  giv- 
ing his  mind  to  it,  with  hand 
lifted  unconsciously  to  the 
chin  in  concentrated  atten- 
tion. I can  understand  some 
one  objecting  that  the  hoy’s 
face  is  so  much  in  shadow 
that  the  features  are  almost 
indistinguishable.  One  may 
share  the  regret  and  yet  feel 
that  this  loss  is  compensated 
bv  a greater  gain  in  the 
shrewd  revelation  of  the  hoy’s 
character.  This  indication 
of  quiet,  penetrating  earnest-  ^ 
ness  should  be  a more 
precious  document  for  a 
mother  to  cherish  than  one 
merely  of  the  features,  both 
because  it  is  a much  more 
diflicult  thing  to  have  attained,  and  because  it  dips  into 
the  unpl limbed  mystery  of  the  child’s  mind.  The  qual- 
ities of  his  brother’s  mind,  on  the  other  hand,  one  may 
judge  to  he  of  a more  obvious  kind,  so  there  is  a spiritual 
suggestion  in  the  contrast  of  light  and  dark  in  the  two 
faces. 


By  Gcj'trndc  Kascbur,  igoo 
‘ PORTRAIT” 


71 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


A similar  quality  of  spirituality  reappears  in  the 
Portrait,  on  page  69.  What  beauty  of  character  and 
temperament  is  suggested  in  the  older  girl  ! the  effect 
being  assisted  not  only  by  the  suave  dignity  of  the  pattern 
of  light  and  dark,  hut  by  the  exquisite  pose  of  the  figure, 
the  lean  of  the  head,  lift  of  shoulder,  and  the  expression 

of  the  hand  which 
rests  upon  the  younger 
child.  The  latter  nestles 
very  naturallv,  hut  the 
deep  shadow  on  one 
side  of  her  face  is 
unfortunate,  detracting 
from  the  roundness  and 
softness.  But  even  so, 
the  picture  is  most 
beautiful,  having  the 
rich  quality,  both  in 
tone  and  spacing,  of 
an  old  \^enetian  master. 

K quality  shared  by 
all  the  prints  we  have 
been  discussing  is  sin- 
cerity. I do  not  mean 
of  purpose  and  \vork- 
manship,  which  go  without  saying  in  this  lady’s 
work,  hut  of  method.  To  express  the  character  and 
make  a beautiful  picture  the  means  employed  have  been 
those  of  sound  and  serious  art,  \vithout  any  trace  of 
afiectation  or  trick  to  secure  distinction.  Of  the  former, 
scnne  might  see  a suspicion  in  the  ptirtrait  of  Pfirkcy,  on 
page  6cj,  hut  I refuse  to  perceive  it,  for  the  face,  quaint 


JSy  Gertrude  Kuiebier ^ iqoo 


“MISS  U.  ” 


72 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


and  dreamy,  justihes  the 
treatment.  The  slight 
bizarrerie  of  Miss  Scurs 
may  also  be  justifiable. 
The  child  would  seem 
to  he  a demure,  prim 
little  miss,  rather  man- 
nered for  her  age  ; her 
hair  is  dressed  in  a very 
formal  way,  the  hand- 
some coat  is  in  style 
much  as  her  mother 
might  wear,  and  as  she 
sits  with  the  stufi'ed  dog 
on  her  lap  and  the  queer 


By  Gertrude  Kasebier.  i8q6 

"CORNELIA  ’’ 

bow  on  her  head,  she 
has  the  complete  self- 
possession  and  some  of 
the  complacency  of  an 
adult.  She  is  not  play- 
ing a little  game  like 
the  small  hoy  with  the 
lamb  ; she  seems  con- 
scious of  posing  for  a 
cunning  effect.  Hence 
the  feeling  of  the  pic- 
ture does  not  ring  true  ; 
it  is  forced,  unspon- 
taneous,  and  the  promi- 


By  Gertrude  Kasebier.,  iqoo 
"LADY  WITH  NFAVSPAPKK" 


73 


“ I, A (;kanu-m'ekk” 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


nence  given  to  the  dog  seems  freakish,  the  bow  tiresome. 
Still  I should  judge  it  a very  telling  piece  of  character 
rendering. 

It  needs  boldness  to  suggest  that  there  is  affectation  in 
the  beautiful  Group  on  page  67,  for  nothing  could  he 
more  simple  and  heartfelt  than  the  management  of  the 
mother’s  and  baby’s  heads  and  the  expression  in  each. 
But  why  the  Japanese  costume  ? Why  not  ? may  he  the 
retort.  Because  this  lady  is  not  Japanese,  or  she  would 
not  be  sitting  on  a chair,  but  kneeling  on  the  door  with 
her  body  on  her  heels  in  a cosy  mass  of  drapery ; and 
this  device  of  dressing  up  a subject  to  make  a pretty  pic- 
ture is  one  of  the  ordinary  resources  of  the  photographer 
who  has  not  the  knowledge  of  art  possessed  by  Mrs. 
Kasebier,  and  is  accordingly  driven  to  such  shifts  in  trying 
to  make  his  picture  distinguished.  It  is  my  respect  and 
admiration  for  this  lady’s  art  that  make  me  judge  it  onlv 
by  the  highest  standard.  For  this  reason  I cannot 
cordially  accept  the  Dfcorutivc  PiDiel.  The  child  is  so 
obviously  put  on  view.  'Phe  old-fashioned  photographer 
would  have  put  a piece  of  figured  drapery  over  an  arm- 
chair, and  hidden  the  mother  behind  it  to  hold  the  baby 
in  position.  I’his  is  not  so  bald  a device,  but  here  \\c 
have  instead  of  a draped  chair  a draped  mother  with  her 
head  bowed  in  shadow.  Of  course  we  know  why;  hut 
if  the  attitude  and  treatment  of  shadow  have  any  a'sthetic 
meaning,  they  indicate  profound  grief,  which  is  not  justi- 
fied by  the  possession  of  so  healthy  and  well-formed  a 
child.  Ao-ain,  one  of  the  main  beauties  of  a child’s 
limbs  is  their  satin  texture.  So  we  miss  in  this  picture 
the  full  quality  of  loveliness  in  the  child’s  figure,  and  the 
artistic  charm  of  spontaneousness  and  unity  of  feeling  in 


75 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


the  whole  conception.  It  is  a set-piece  rattier  than  a 
glimpse  of  nature.  So  most  explicitly  is  La  Gra?id-)uere, 
which,  however,  it  should  he  noted,  was  executed  some 
years  ago.  The  scene  is  a rude  one  with  mixture  of  sun 
and  shadow,  suggestive  of  the  life  of  the  poor  ; the  old 
woman  is  a sturdy,  wholesome  type,  who  has  done  her 
simple  duty,  upheld  and  cheered  hy  religious  faith. 
Surely  an  artist  could  have  led  our  imagination  to  this 
point  without  the  crude  device  of  making  her  hold  a 
crucihx  to  her  breast.  No  ; she  has  been  posed,  and  one 
resents  the  artihciality  as  an  imposition.  There  is  more 
than  a little  affectation  also  in  the  profile  Portrait  on 
page  71,  for  the  self-consciousness  of  the  face  interferes 
with  the  spontaneity  which  such  a treatment  demanded. 
Yet  the  artistry  of  this  print,  apart  from  its  sentiment,  is 
exquisite.  I have  the  original  before  me,  and  the 
beautiful  quality  of  color  in  the  head,  the  contrast 
between  the  soft  confusion  of  the  hair  and  comparative 
flatness  of  the  face,  the  dainty  touches  of  definition  in 
certain  of  the  features,  and  the  suggestive  line  that  passes 
down  the  figure,  appearing,  reappearing,  delicately  em- 
phasized in  parts  and  fading  away  into  the  paper  imper- 
ceptibly, so  that  one  cannot  tell  where  it  ceases — all  these 
exhibit  a sensitiveness  of  artistic  feeling  and  handling 
beyond  praise.  If  I may  try  to  paraphrase  the  impression 
w ith  wdiich  it  affects  me,  I ww)uld  say  it  is  like  a deep,  full 
breath,  passing  awniy  in  a sigh  ; a suggestion  so  exquisitely 
subtle  that  I wdsh  the  breath  had  been  the  expression  of  a 
more  sincere,  less  self-conscious  feeling.  Quite  possibly 
this  fancied  detection  of  insinceritv  may  he  due  to  some 
prejudice  of  mv  own.  One  can  only  state  one’s  opinion 
honestiv,  ttivin^  at  the  same  time  one’s  reasons,  so  that 


76 


ADELK ” 


By  Gertrude  Kascbier ^ 189S 


PHOTOCJRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


the  reader  may  judge  whether  the  conclusion  be  good 
or  bad. 

What  shall  we  say  of  Mother  and  Child Beautiful  it 
certainly  is,  it  only  tor  the  delicacy  of  light  and  shade  in 
the  tolds  ot  the  lady’s  white  gown.  It  seems  to  have 
been  the  result  ot  a sudden  impulse  of  enthusiasm.  One 
may  imagine  the  general  conception  of  the  picture  settled 
and  the  artist  waiting  for  her  opportunity.  The  baby 
suddenly  glides  into  a pose  with  head  thrown  back  and 
eyes  raised.  It  is  like  an  infant  Christ  or  wingless  cherub. 
Exquisite  ! Even  the  mother  shares  the  excitement  of 
the  moment,  as  one  may  see  from  the  tense  action  of  the 
head  and  fixity  ot  the  gaze.  The  picture  is  taken  and  is 
very  spiritual  and  beautiful,  yet  the  pose  and  expression  of 
the  child  have  not  the  unaffectedness  of  a baby.  The 
result  is,  haby  plus  tbe  enthusiasm  of  the  artist  tor  some- 
thing she  did  not  expect  to  get,  and  could  only  have  got 
by  accident ; certainly  not  normal,  simple,  character- 
istically childlike. 

A mastery  ot  subtle  effects  ot  light  and  shade  is  seen 
in  the  picture  of  a Lady  u'ith  Newspaper,  in  which  the 
open  sheets  are  made  to  vield  a most  interesting  pattern 
ot  form  and  color,  while  the  mingling  ot  light  and  dark 
in  the  folds  of  the  dress  is  full  ot  poetic  suggestion.  In 
the  Stiuly  of  a Bov  the  difhculty  ot  setting  the  camera  at 
the  window  has  been  triumphantly  overcome.  The 
massing  ot  shade  upon  the  left  is  full  and  deep  in  tone, 
in  the  original  especiallv  a jov  to  studv,  and  the  pensive 
expression  ot  the  young  man’s  face,  so  admirably  un- 
affectetl,  has  a delightful  reference  to  the  misty  distance  ot 
view  outside  the  window.  It  is  a surprising  and  most 
impressive  picture  ; strong,  deep  and  siditle.  Ot  the  print, 

7« 


“SISTERS” 


By  Gertrude  Ka^cbicry  1901 


PHOTOCJRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


Mr.  A.  M.,  on  page  59,  I have  only  the  proof  before 
me,  so  that  I cannot  speak  with  such  extended  admiration 
as  I am  sure  the  picture  warrants  ; for  even  in  this  rough 
state  the  treatment  of  the  head,  and  the  two  hands  so 
strangely  echoing  its  expression,  and  the  placing  of  these 
three  spots  against  the  plunge  of  dark,  are  managed  with 
a comprehension  and  lulness  of  artistic  feeling  most 
delightful.  The  beauty  of  the  picture  Miss  D.  needs 
no  commending.  Its  appeal  is  instantaneous  and  endur- 
ing. Only  I would  dwell  upon  the  consummate  feeling 
and  skill  with  which  the  character  as  well  as  the  features 
are  made  to  emerge  from  the  soft  shadow.  It  is  as  line 
a refutation  as  could  be  of  the  ordinary  fallacy  that  the 
face  should  he  brightly  lighted  and  dehned. 

To  sum  up  one’s  impressions  of  Airs.  KAsebier’s  work, 
as  illustrated  in  these  portraits,  it  is,  in  the  first  place, 
sympathetic,  influenced  by  love  and  enthusiasm  as  well  as 
knowledge.  She  has  a keen  intuition  of  character,  and  a 
wonderfully  swift  inventiveness  of  means  to  express  it,  for 
we  may  conclude  that  certainly  the  majority  of  these 
pictures  have  been  done  under  the  ordinary  conditions  of 
fulfilling  appointments.  Each  has  an  unexpectedness  of 
treatment,  presupposing  a mind  stored  with  artistic 
resources  and  an  imagination  alert  and  fertile.  Equally 
spontaneous  is  her  sympathy.  She  has  a remarkable 
power  of  focussing  her  interest  upon  her  sid^ject  and  of 
eliscovering  the  best  qualities.  I'he  means  hv  which  she 
gives  expression  to  her  conceptions  are  those  of  a 
thorough  artist,  and  in  almost  every  case  (d  a “straight” 
photographer.  Indeed,  the  Portrait,  page  71,  is,  perhaps, 
the  only  example  t)f  a picture  conspicuously  altered  in  the 
process,  and  here  it  is  mainly  in  the  way  of  elimination. 


80 


PHOTCKJRAPPiY  AS  A FINE  ART 


H er  resources  are  the  management  ot  line  and  form,  and 
of  light.  These  she  handles,  not  merely  with  knowledge, 
hut  with  a vivid  imagination  and  poetic  instinct  ; securing, 
as  she  needs  it,  dignity  or  delicacy  of  line  and  mass  and 
fulness  or  evanescent  charm  of  color.  The  quality  ot  the 
latter  can  only  he  guessed  from  the  illustrations,  hut  many 
of  the  originals  urge  one  to  use  that  much-abused  term 
“ orchestration  of  color.”  No  other  seems  so  litting  ; tor 
example,  her  dark  passages  have  a resonant,  sonorous 
quality  ; elsewhere  the  eftects  ot  light  are  Hute-like  in 
their  tremulous  purity,  or  the  impression  upon  one  mav 
he  of  the  vibration  of  stringed  instruments,  and  all  are 
tused  into  a harmony  ot  tone  and  teeling. 


Si 


\ 


1 


CHAPTER  IV. 


'1 


I 


POK'IRAi  r OF  ALFRKD  STIEGLITZ 


By  Frank  Eu^oie^  lyoo 


\ 


■i 


By  Friifik  Euge7ic 

“THE  HORSE.”  SHOWING  A HOED  USE  OF  ETCHING  IN  THE  BACKGROUND 


CHAPTER  IV 

Methods  of  Individual  Expression 

Illustratkii  kv  the  Work  oe  Frank  Eu<;ene  ani>  Josei’h  T.  Keiley 

T is  not  because  the  work  of  these  (yentlemen 
offers  any  special  point  of  resemblance  that 
their  names  are  coupled;  nor  do  I propose 
to  institute  any  comparison.  But  they  have 
in  common  an  identity  of  motive,  which, 
however,  is  shared  by  innumerable  others,  so  that  it  is  as 
the  type  of  a class,  and  as  illustrating  an  important  phase 
of  photography,  that  they  are  to  he  considered  here. 
They  represent,  at  anv  rate,  in  a great  deal  ol  their  WTU'k, 
the  opposite  to  the  “ straight  photograph.”  Thev  largely 
“manipulate”  their  negatives  or  prints  to  secure  the 
desired  result. 


87 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


The  goal  of  the  best  photographers,  as  of  all  true 
artists,  is  not  merely  to  make  a picture,  but  to  record  in 
their  print  and  transmit  to  others  the  impression  which 
they  experience  in  the  presence  of  the  subject.  This 
sounds  like  “ Impressionism,”  and  indeed  it  is,  in  the 
broadest  meaning  of  that  term,  which,  however,  in 
common  usage  has  been  whittled  down  to  a narrow  sig- 
nihcance,  to  particularize  that  group  of  artists  whose 
fondness  for  painting  light  would  better  justify  the  dis- 
tinguishing name  of  “ luminarists.”  In  a broad  sense  all 
artists  are  impressionists.  They  do  not  picture  the  object 
itself,  but  what  they  are  conscious  ol  seeing.  One  man 
may  be  satisfied  to  represent  merely  the  external  facts  of 
the  object ; but  if  nine  other  men,  facing  the  same  object, 
set  about  doing  the  same  thing,  the  ten  would  not  produce 
identical  results.  In  each  case  it  would  he  tinged  by  the 
individual’s  particular  way  of  seeing.  The  thing  pictured 
would  not  he  the  object,  hut  a record  of  the  impression 
made  by  it  on  each  of  the  separate  pairs  of  eyes  ; every 
one  of  the  ten  would  he  involuntarily  an  impressionist. 

Another  man,  however,  will  he  conscious  of  the 
impression  made  upon  liis  mind  ; and  it  will  seize  upon 
his  imagination,  and  tluis  become  itself  colored  by  his 
personality.  If,  then,  he  tries  to  picture  this  impression, 
using  the  object,  not  as  an  end  in  itself  hut  as  contributory 
to  his  impression,  omitting  some  details  and  emphasizing 
those  most  important  to  his  purpose,  he  is  an  impressionist 
in  the  sense  in  which  we  are  usintj  the  term  here.  I 
cannot  better  signify  the  difference  between  the  painter  or 
photographer  who  is  satisfied  to  he  a recorder  only  of  the 
external  facts  of  the  object,  and  him  who  forms  a vivid 
mental  conception  of  it  and  tries  to  make  us  realize  his 


88 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


impression,  than  by  comparing  the  street  arahs  of  J.  G. 
Brown  with  Murillo’s.  The  former  are,  as  it  were,  word 
for  word  translations  into  paint  of  the  shoeblack  or  news- 
paper-boy—snatched,  too,  from  their  context  of  busy  city 
life  and  rendered  in  isolated  fragments ; nor,  it  may  he 
added,  with  much  characterization  of  the  dirt  and  super- 

sharpened  wit  of  the 
originals.  Alurillo,  on 
the  other  hand,  saw 
his  hoys  as  part  of  the 
lazy,  sunny,  shiftless  life 
of  the  Spanish  street — 
attracted,  no  doubt,  as 
a painter  by  the  art- 
less freedom  of  their 
gestures ; and  he 
painted  them  with  the 
dusty  sunshine  on 
their  healthy  burn- 
ished limbs,  and  with 
the  dirt  encrusted  on 
the  soles  of  their  feet, 
which,  you  remember, 
so  troubled  Ruskin. 
But  Alurillo  in  his 
sympathy  with  hoy-life  had  no  horror  of  dirt,  no  doubt 
seeing  in  it  the  reason  why  those  limbs  were  so  lithe  and 
sinewy  ; the  hoys  running  wild  like  young  creatures  of 
the  forest  and  basking  in  the  sunshine,  as  near  to  nature 
as  the  denizen  of  a city  can  get. 

Or,  again,  to  emphasize  this  point,  let  me  compare 
Abbey’s  illustrations  of  Cjoldsmith’s  She  Stoops  to  Conquer 

89 


By  Joseph  T.  Kcilcy 

PORTRAIT  OF  ZOLNAY,  THE  SCULPTOR 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


with  those  he  made  for  Shakespeare’s  comedies.  In  the 
former  a trivial  interest  in  what  the  characters  are  repre- 
sented as  doing  is  swallowed  up  in  the  larger  enjoyment 
of  the  wonderfid  way  in  which  the  artist  has  recreated 
the  atmosphere  and  sentiment  of  the  old  times.  He 
made  them  in  the  little  village  of  Broadway,  in  England, 
where  the  mind,  as  those  who  have  lived  there  know,  can 
readily  detach  itself  from  what  is  modern  and  drift  natur- 
ally and  easily  into  the  old  feeling.  Enough  of  it  still 
survives  to  whet  the  imagination  and  help  it  to  conjure 
up  vivid  impressions  of  the  past.  But  when  he  came  to 
illustrate  the  comedies  of  Shakespeare,  he  found  no  such 
spontaneous  inspiration,  and  had  recourse  to  arch;eological 
research  ; the  illustrations  are  satisfactorily  correct,  but 
impressionless.  On  the  other  hand,  when  Elihu  Vedder 
undertook  the  illustrating  of  Omar  Khayyam,  he  did  not 
picture  literally  the  phraseology  of  the  text,  hut  absorbed 
its  spirit,  and,  having  taken  the  beauty  and  meaning  into 
his  own  send,  gave  out  of  himself  a painter’s  equivalent  for 
the  thought  and  imagery  of  the  poet.  So  his  work  stands 
as  an  interpretation  or,  better  still,  a reincarnation.  The 
old  Persian’s  thought  has  transmigrated  into  a new  state. 

Even  to  any  one  who  has  not  thought  of  these  things 
before,  one  may  hope  that  there  is  a dawning  conscious- 
ness that  the  conceiying  and  imparting  an  impression  is 
more  to  he  desired  than  a bald  statement  of  fact,  such  as 
wendd  he  edndous  to  any  one  ; just  as  we  hang  upon  the 
speech  of  an  orator,  less  for  the  facts  he  formulates  than 
for  the  ue\y  significance  they  acquire  after  being  fused  in 
the  crucible  of  his  own  vigorous  personality.  If,  there- 
fore, I have  been  so  fortunate  as  to  carry  my  reader  with 
me,  we  have  reached  the  conclusion  that  the  chief  beauty 


go 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


in  a work  of  art,  he  it  painting,  photograph,  or  silver 
salt-cellar,  is  the  evidence  ot  the  artist’s  expression  of 
himself.  It  is  manifested  diversely.  In  a portrait,  as  we 
said  in  the  last  chapter,  it  shows  itself  in  ability  to  sym- 
pathize with  the  subject,  to  penetrate  behind  the  mask  of 
the  features,  and  to  present  an  epitome  of  character  as 
well  as  of  appearance.  Again,  in  ever  so  simple  a picture 
of  domestic  life,  a gcfire  subject,  there  will  he  given  not 
only  the  facts  of  the  episode  and  its  local  surroundings, 
hut  also  the  essence  of  the  matter,  the  sentiment  ; not 
expressly  stated,  hut  to  he  felt.  I rememher  a very  happy 
example  in  the  Danish  Section  at  the  recent  Paris  Ex- 
position in  a picture  hy  Irminger,  called  Past  Mid)iight. 
A young  husband  is  studying  or  writing,  and  the  wife  has 
slipped  down  in  her  night-robe  and  stands  behind  his 
chair.  The  story  is  trivial  enough,  hut  I would  draw 
attention  to  the  artist’s  way  of  telling  it.  In  the  choice 
of  details,  simple  and  rehned  : the  soft,  diffused  light  from 
the  shaded  lamp,  glinting  tenderly  on  the  dowers,  leather 
hacks  of  hooks,  and  the  young  man’s  earnest  face  mostly 
in  shadow,  and  shed  so  reticently  over  the  white-clad 
dgure  of  the  girl-wife  ; the  lovahleness  of  a happy  home, 
the  beauty  of  absolute  accord,  are  suggested  with  an 
amount  of  imagination  that  lifts  a triding  circumstance 
into  a poem.  Or,  again,  the  photographer  or  painter  may 
render  a landscape  that  we  recognize  as  true  to  nature, 
hut  which  adects  us  as  little  as  the  glimpses  that  dash 
before  the  eye  as  we  speed  along  the  railroad.  The  fault 
may  he  in  ourselves  or  in  the  painter’s  inability  to  conceive 
and  transmit  a vivid  impression. 

A love  of  nature  is  one  of  the  things  that  you  cannot 
buy  at  a department  store,  nor  mav  it  he  acquired  from 


9' 


Reproduction  from  n glyceri)ie  Priiit  by  Joseph  T.  Ketley 


CORNFIELD  VISTA”  IN  AFTERGLOW  OF  AN  AUTUMNAL  SUNSET 


Rcf'roduction  front  a g^lyccrtne  print  hy  Joseph  T.  Keiley 
“AUTUMN  TWILIGHT” 

ITiis  scene  is  identical  with  “ Cornfield  Vista,”  reproduced  on  page  91.  but  the  character  lias  been  altered  througli  local 

development  of  the  print 


Reprod^lciion  from  a g^lycerine  print  by  Frank  Eugene 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


text-hooks.  It  must  have  origin  and  growtli  in  ourselves. 
But  if  I am  speaking  to  a lover  ol  nature,  he  knows 
better  than  I can  say  that  his  joy  in  it  is  the  result  ol 
communing,  companionship,  and  intimacy  with  nature. 
That  clump  of  trees  upon  the  rising  ground  has  a yigor 
of  outline  that  loiw  ay-o  arrested  his  attention,  hut  he  has 
become  so  used  to  its  features  that  he  takes  them  for 
granted,  as  we  do  the  face  of  a friend.  Aleanwhile,  \\diat 
interests  him  is  their  eyer-changing  play  of  expression. 
At  dawn,  noonday,  or  twilight,  under  gray  light  or  burn- 
ing sunshine,  when  storm  is  gathering  or  everything  is  at 
peace,  in  countless  other  vicissitudes  of  local  conditicms, 
those  trees,  lifted  up  against  the  sky,  take  on  moods  and 
changes  of  expression,  making  constant  yariety  of  appeal 
to  his  imagination,  and  always  someho\y  litti ng  in  w ith 
his  own  mood  of  feeling.  In  our  ability  to  put  ourselyes 
thus  at  one  ^yith  nature  we  ourselves  are  artists — unable, 
however,  to  o-ive  utterance  to  the  thoiwht.  The  creative 
power  is  lacking,  and  this  is  the  distinguishing  character- 
istic of  the  artist.  He  is  the  creator  ; and,  the  more  ^vc 
realize  this,  the  greater  our  delight  in  art  which  involves 
a personal  expression,  and  the  less  interest  ^\'e  feel  in  the 
process  which  merely  records  facts. 

In  the  early  stages  of  photography  man’s  interest  was 
captured  by  the  camera’s  ability  to  record  facts  ; today, 
the  artist’s  aim  is  to  make  it  record  his  impressions  of  the 
fact,  and  to  express  in  the  print  his  pers(.)nal  feeling.  ’Phe 
camera’s  ability  \yas  oyerrated.  Because  it  can  take  in  so 
much  more  detail  than  the  human  eye,  its  accuracy  of 
yision  was  regarded  as  infallible  ; \yhereas,  in  effect,  it  is 
less  accurate  than  the  trained  eye,  falsifying  t’ne  record  by 
undue  enlargement  of  the  objects  near,  and  diminution  of 


95 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


those  more  remote.  So  the  artist  in  his  search  after  truth 
has  set  himself,  first  of  all,  to  correct  the  camera’s  fail- 
ings ; not,  however,  in  the  generally  accepted  way,  as,  for 
example,  by  eliminating  every  inequality  in  the  features 
of  a portrait  and  reducing  them  to  the  simpering  smooth- 
ness of  a milliner’s  wax  model.  This  is  the  commonplace 
method,  aided  and  abetted  by  the  vanity  of  the  sitter.  I 
have  heard  it  stated,  in  connection  with  a portrait,  that 
the  artist  would  have  done  well  to  soften  down  the 
prominence  of  the  bones  in  the  lady’s  neck.  For  my 
own  part,  I think  the  lady  would  have  done  better  to 
cover  up  her  bony  neck.  The  prominence  of  these  bones 
has  a physiological  relation  to  her  character,  and  for  the 
artist  to  have  clothed  them  with  firm,  soft  flesh  would 
have  been  to  contradict  the  expression  of  the  face.  But 
this  is  dangerous  ground  ! Let  us  leave  it  for  the  safer 
one  of  landscape.  Suppose  the  vista  to  he  photographed 
is  a mile  in  length,  every  yard  of  it  gradually  receding 
from  the  foreground.  If  the  camera  jumps  the  middle 
distance,  and  extends  the  horizon  in  appearance  to  two 
miles  away,  the  whole  character  of  the  scene  is  falsified. 
The  photographer  in  the  printing  seeks  to  correct  this 
deviation  from  the  truth.  This  is  his  first  argument  in 
favor  of  manipulating  the  print;  and  some  photographers 
have  another.  “ 'Fhat  scene,”  says  one,  “ excites  a certain 
impression  in  my  imagination,  the  result  partly  of  asso- 
ciation, partly  of  mv  individual  temperament.  I want  to 
express  that  phase  of  the  scene  and  communicate  it  to  you. 
The  unresponsive  eye  t)f  the  camera  will  not  see  what  I 
am  striving  for,  hut  I will  try  to  extract  from  its  record, 
or  infuse  into  it,  my  motive.”  So  he  manipulates  his 
print.  Another  with  the  same  end  in  view  will  manipu- 

96 


By  Frujik  Eugene 


‘‘SONG  OF  THE  LILY 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


late  the  negative.  Mr.  Eugene,  for  example,  will  draw 
or  paint  or  etch  upon  the  negative.  There  are  many 
methods  ot  controlling  the  development  of  the  print,  but 
we  will  coniine  our  notice  here  to  the  glycerine  process 
ot  developing  platinum  prints,  because  it  is  the  one  which 
Mr.  Keiley  always  uses,  and  which  in  conjunction  with 
Air.  Stieglitz  he  has  brought  into  extended  usefulness. 

Briedv,  the  process  is  as  follows  : a print  is  made  from 
the  negative  upon  platinum  paper  in  the  usual  way  ; 
unlike  silver  printing,  in  which  the  image  prints  out  by 
the  action  of  light,  the  image  on  the  platinum  paper  is 
verv  faint,  needing  a further  process  of  developing,  and  it 
is  at  this  point  that  the  photographer  controls  his  results 

bv  means  of  glycerine. 
The  print  is  coated  with 
it,  and  the  effect  of  this 
is  to  retard  the  action 
of  the  developing  solu- 
tion which,  either  pure 
or  mixed  with  glycerine, 
is  then  applied  with  a 
brush.  The  pure  de- 
veloper brings  out  the 
platinum  black,  or,  when 
diluted  with  glycerine, 
the  lighter  tones,  while 
in  the  parts  to  which 
the  pure  glycerine  is 
applied  no  development 
ensues.  So  the  opera- 
tor, by  merely  spreading 
the  glycerine,  can  elim- 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


inate  what  he 
pleases  from  the 
print,  and  convert 
light  parts  into 
dark,  or  ‘vice  versa. 

The  advantages  of 
this  process  are 
summed  up  in  a 
brochure,  entitled 
“The  ‘ Camera 
Notes  ’ Improved 
Process  for  the 
Development  of 
Platinum  Prints, 

Including  the  Ex- 
periments ot  Jo- 
seph 'P.  Keiley  and 
Alfred  Stieglitz.” 

“ The  great  merit 
of  this  method 
of  development” — 
the  words  are  Mr. 

Keiley’s — “ lies  (<^?)  in  its  corrective  possibilities,  and  that 
through  it  the  manipulator  is  enabled  to  reclaim  the  print 
from  the  rigid  bondage  of  tbe  hitherto  unalterable  render- 
ings of  values  recorded  therein  during  the  process  of 
printing,  and  (h)  to  introduce  into  it  his  own  conception 
of  the  values,  tonal  qualities,  feeling  and  artistic  effect  (,>f 
the  theme  under  treatment.” 

I have  taken  the  liberty  of  dividing  the  quotation 
into  two  statements,  because  they  seem  to  contain  the  gist 
of  the  difference  between  its  use  bv  tbe  straight  photog- 


By  Frank  Eit^cne 

“YOUNG  MAN  WITH  CELLO  •' 


99 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


rapher  and  the  other  one — I cannot  call  him  “ crooked  ” 
— who  claims  unrestricted  liberty  of  action.  The  former 
only  modifies  the  result ; the  latter  reserves  the  right  to 
alter  it.  The  straight  photographer  may  feel  a shadow  to 
be  too  dense,  so  he  reduces  it  in  the  printing  ; or  the  fore- 
ground too  full  of  detail,  and  confuses  it  to  bring  it  to  a 
mass,  or  he  will  retard  the  printing  of  the  stronger  parts 
while  he  coaxes  up  the  delicate  tones  in  the  sky,  and  so 
on.  But  the  result  is  substantially  nature’s  image.  On 
the  other  hand,  a reference  to  the  two  parallel  examples 
of  a cornheld  by  Mr.  Keiley,  reproduced  on  pages  92  and 
93,  will  show  how  completely  in  the  second  one  the 
character  of  the  scene  has  been  altered  in  the  printing. 
Or,  again,  as  an  instance  of  manipulating  the  negative, 
note  the  Nirvana  by  Mr.  Eugene.  The  model  was  posed 
upon  a sofa,  but  this  has  been  obliterated  and  water  sub- 
stituted by  the  use  of  the  brush  and  needle.  We  could 
not  have  more  suggestive  examples  of  departure  from 
nature  than  these  ; the  latter  a subject  built  up  to  express 
an  ideal  conception,  and  the  former  a twisting  of  nature 
into  the  groove  of  the  artist’s  own  impression. 

Immediately  two  retiections  occur.  Firstly,  such 
alteration  of  the  negative’s  version  demands  the  skill  of 
the  draughtsman  or  painter  ; in  the  hands  of  any  one 
without  training  in  art  it  w'ill  lead  to  deplorable  results. 
But  this  need  iiot  he  dwelt  upon,  since  it  invt)lves  no  fur- 
ther statement  thaii  the  fact  that  a man  should  not  try  to 
drive  an  automobile  on  a crowded  street  until  he  has 
learnt  how,  and  the  best  way  of  learning  is  to  study  the 
theory  and  then  put  it  in  practice.  But  the  second  reflec- 
tion does  involve  a serious  consideration.  If  nature  is  the 
source  of  beauty  (and  few  of  us  will  question  it,  particu- 


roo 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


larly  in  the  case  of  landscapes),  can  we  derive  as  much 
pleasure  from  an  interpretation  of  nature  evolved  out  of 
a man’s  brain,  however  poetical,  as  from  one  studied  from 
nature  direct  ? Perhaps  we  may  ; hut  not,  I think,  if  we 


Reproduction  /roju  a glyceriJic  print  by  Joseph  T.  Kciley 
“GARDEN  OF  DREAMS” 

ourselves  are  nature-students.  You  may  have  observed  in 
a collection  of  painted  landscapes  how  some  have  the  real 
open-air  feeling,  bringing  to  your  imagination  the 
fragrance  and  tonic  of  the  breeze,  the  joyousness  of  sun- 
shine, or  the  mystery  of  twilight ; while  others,  beautiful 


lor 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


in  their  way,  appear  to  be  simply  pictures.  On  the  other 
hand,  I do  not  forget  that  there  is  room  for  pictures  of 
the  imagination  as  for  poems  or  music  drawn  from  the 
artist’s  inner  consciousness  ; and  if  the  painter’s  or  pho- 
tographer’s imagination  is  full  and  powerful,  he  may  give 
us  pictures  of  great  beauty.  But  such  imaginations  are 
few  and  far  between,  and  for  the  majority  it  is  safer  to  be 
students  of  nature  than  weavers  of  their  own  fancy. 

A fair  conclusion  seems  to  be  that  while  these  land- 
scapes of  the  imagination  may  be  handsome  pictures  and 
emotional,  thev  will  lack  the  subtlety  and  inhniteness  of 
nature’s  truth — representing  the  impression  in  a broad, 
discursive  manner.  The  reproduction  of  Mr.  Keiley’s 
Garden  of  Dreams  illustrates  this.  It  is  wrapt  in  a solemn 
pensiveness,  as  if  the  tread  of  Time  were  hushed,  and 
nature  were  wooing  to  gentle  contemplation.  But  I hnd 
no  mvstery  in  the  scene  or  range  for  my  imagination. 
The  wall  of  trees  is  impenetrable,  and  does  not  lure  the 
fanev  on  to  lose  itself  in  shadow  ; the  lily-pads,  boating 
on  the  smooth  water,  are  lighted  almost  uniformly,  those 
beneath  the  shadow  as  well  as  those  in  light ; there  are 
not  the  delicate  differences  of  tone  that  would  make  the 
scene  vibrate.  The  stillness,  in  fact,  is  rather  of  death 
than  of  sleep.  Again,  in  the  Antunni  Twi/ig/it  evolved 
from  the  Comfehl  Vista,  I find  variety  of  tone  in  the  light 
and  dark  upon  the  shocks,  hut  neither  the  impressive  in- 
telligibility of  massed  lights  and  shadows  nor  the  delicious 
surprises  of  effect  that  the  waning  light,  lapping  the 
shocks  and  stealing  between  the  leaves,  would  give  in 
nature.  Nor  is  the  black  mass  in  the  sky  convincing.  It 
is  not  the  darkening  of  the  upper  sky  or  gathering  cloud 
on  the  horizon,  for  it  has  no  construction  ; it  seems  rather 


*■  A SlorX  (’HIKF’ 


By  Joscf'h  T.  Keiley 


■‘PORTRAIT  OF  A CHILD  ’ 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


a shred  of  rainy  mist  carried  by  wind,  which  scarcely  is 
in  tune  with  the  serenity  of  the  scene.  One  hnds  it,  in 
fact,  a beautiful  arrangement  of  dark  and  light,  but  from 
its  lack  of  truth  to  nature  very  limited  in  the  range  of  its 
impressiveness.  The  reader,  I hope,  is  not  tired  of  this 
harping  upon  nature  ; but,  after  all,  we  can  be  impressed 
only  through  our  experience.  A hundred  thousand  per- 
sons perishing  from  famine  in  India  do  not  move  me  as 
deeply  as  the  death  of  a friend’s  little  child.  I love  the 
child  and  the  parents,  and  realize  the  awful  gap  now 
made  in  their  home  and  hearts.  And  so  the  artist  to 
arouse  our  imagination  had  better  rely  upon  something 
we  know  and  love  in  common.  He  finds  it  in  nature, 
and  his  work,  if  true,  becomes  a part  of  her  inexhaustihle- 
ness,  setting  no  limits  to  his  possibility  of  suggestion  and 
to  our  receptivity  of  impression.  If  he  lets  go  of  nature, 
he  accepts  his  limitations  and  imposes  them  upon  us. 

Therefore  out  of  these  eight  examples  of  Mr.  Keiley’s 
work  many  of  us  will  prefer  the  figure  subjects,  particu- 
larly those  of  Indians.  They  show  such  an  intimacv  of 
understanding  and  fulness  of  sympathy  that  we  scarcely 
need  to  he  told  their  author  was  an  interested  student  of 
Indian  life  before  he  made  these  portraits.  The  head  of 
a young  girl,  very  sweetly  called  An  Indian  Madoiuia,  is 
inexpressibly  moving,  admitting  us  at  once  into  the  temple 
of  a human  mind.  The  outer  court  is  beautiful,  and  the 
veil  of  mystery  which  hangs  before  the  shrine  not  so 
dense  hut  that  we  may  peer  through,  guessing  rather  than 
seeing  some  vague  hint  of  the  mystery  beyond.  Who 
may  penetrate  the  sacredness  of  a maiden’s  mind  r And 
this  is  of  an  alien  race — one  fading  from  the  earth,  with 
memories  and  associations  outside  our  own  ; she  is  of  good 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


education,  too,  and  a beautiful  habit  of  mind — what  a 
tanglement  of  mystery  one  meets  in  trying  to  fathom  the 
depth  of  her  thoughts.  The  artist  here  has  set  us  on  the 
threshold  ot  inlinitude  ; there  are  no  bounds  to  the  sug- 
gestiveness ol  his  picture  or  to  the  workings  of  our  own 
imagination. 

Mr.  Eugene  is  unwarrantably  regarded  as  the  very 
antipodes  of  the  straight  photographer.  As  a matter  of 
fact,  he  never  manipulates  his  print,  and  hy  no  means 
alwavs  touches  the  negative.  We  have  noted,  however, 
his  daring  experiment  in  the  Ni?'V(wa  ; and  again  in  The 
Horse,  reproduced  at  the  head  ot  this  chapter,  the  back- 
ground and  straw  have  been  fearlessly  etched  upon  the 

negative,  and  brush  and 
point  as  well  would  ap- 
pear to  have  been  used 
on  the  horse.  The 
print,  in  fact,  has  the 
quality  of  texture  and 
spontaneousness  ot  a 
tine  etching.  On  the 
other  hand,  the  Man  in 
Armor  (a  portrait  ot 
himself)  has  received 
no  manipulation  at  any 
stage,  and  the  same  is 
true  of  the  other  por- 
traits, with  the  excep- 
tion of  that  of  a child, 
in  which  the  dress  has 
been  etched  over,  ap- 
parently to  give  it 


io6 


ph()T(k;raphv  as  a fine  art 


transparency  and  to  throw  by  contrast  more  substan- 
tialness into  the  face.  The  tact  is,  Mr.  Eugene  is 
not  unreservedly  addicted  to  any  method.  A painter 


By  Frank  Eugene 

“MAN  IN  ARMOR” 

This  portrait  of  himself  received  no  manipulation  by  Mr.  luigene  at  any  stage 

first  of  all,  he  gradually  became  interested  in  photog- 
raphy, and  finally  enthusiastic,  discovering  that  it  had 
possibilities  for  him  unobtainable  by  any  other  process. 
He  is  a man  of  extraordinary  vigor  and  versatility,  keen 
after  artistic  problems  ; and  whether  he  uses  the  negative 


07 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


straight  or  works  it  up  or  alters  it  entirely,  is  merely  a 
question  of  expediency,  the  sole  aim  being  to  reach  the 
result  in  view.  In  his  portraits  and  subject  pictures  he 
often  uses  backgrounds  of  his  own  painting,  combining 
with  them  real  foliage.  Such  is  the  case  in  the  Portrait 
of  a Child,  and,  I suspect,  in  the  Sojig  of  the  Lily.  And 
note  the  exuberance  of  his  artistic  invention,  the  robust 
wholesomeness  of  his  work,  his  skill  in  large  and  hand- 
some compositions,  and  feeling  for  rich,  impressional 
color.  The  examples  shown  here.  Nirvana  excepted, 
which  is  only  an  interesting  experiment,  illustrate  these 
qualities,  though  they  suggest  but  little  of  his  versatility. 
He  will  be  represented  at  the  Glasgow  International  Ex- 
hibition by  an  Adam  and  Eve — one  of  the  most  beautiful 
studies  of  the  nude  I have  seen  in  any  medium.  The 
forms  are  noble,  the  dappling  of  light  and  shade  as  they 
stand  in  the  garden  exquisitely  subtle  ; and  while  the 
beauty  of  Hesh  texture  has  been  rendered  admirably,  the 
figures  are  treated  with  such  artistic  reticence  that  there  is 
not  a hint  of  nakedness. 

I have  spoken  of  the  print  of  the  cart-horse  having 
the  quality  of  an  etching.  This  seems  to  have  a bearing 
on  the  question  sometimes  asked  of  the  photographer : 
If  you  desire  the  effect  of  an  etching,  of  a chalk  or  wash- 
drawing, why  not  etch  or  draw  with  chalk  or  water-color; 
why  use  the  camera  and  confuse  the  processes  ? Well,  to 
myself,  that  print,  printed  as  it  is  on  Japan  paper,  conveys 
every  impression  of  an  etching,  having  the  beautiful  char- 
acteristics that  one  looks  for  therein  : spontaneousness  of 
execution,  vigorous  and  pregnant  suggestiveness,  velvety 
color,  and  delightful  evidence  of  the  personal  touch, 
'rhere  is  nothing  sacred  or  even  desirable  in  the  mere 


o8 


‘crj'iZKN  FoucnE" 


By  Joi,tPh  T.  Kciley 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


process  ot  etching  upon  copper  apart  from  its  results.  If 
similar  results  can  be  obtained  some  other  way,  and  the 
artist  chooses  to  adopt  it  because  he  buds  it  easier  or  more 
congenial,  what  concern  is  it  of  ours  ? Surely  none.  I 
may  have  thought  and  written  otherwise  in  the  past.  Let 
me  admit  conversion.  The  lact  is,  in  this  new  art  critics 
and  photographers  alike  are  feeling  their  way — they  to 
expression,  we  to  judgment.  The  art  is  still  in  the  womb 
of  time,  its  possibilities  continually  becoming  wider  and 
more  appreciated  ; being  new,  one  learns  that  the  old 
standards  and  points  ot  view  do  not  necessarily  apply  to 
it,  and  more  and  more  realize  the  need  of  an  open  mind. 

Meanwhile,  as  I have  said,  experience  is  the  basis  of 
our  ahilitv  to  appreciate  : one  can  hut  speak  as  one  knows, 
adding  to  that  knowledge  hv  degrees.  So,  in  trying  to 
enter  into  the  question  of  manipulating  the  result,  I have 
clung  intentionally  to  the  ccmservative  standpoint,  because 
in  the  eagerness  of  a new  movement  it  may  easily  he 
overlooked  ; whereas,  to  alter  slightly — or  shall  I say 
manipulate  r — (jamaliel’s  advice  to  the  Jewish  critics  of 
the  new  (j(.)spel,  “ It  it  he  of  art  ye  cannot  overthrow  it ; 
lest  haply  ve  he  found  even  to  hght  against  art.”  And  if 
I have  said  cmnparatively  little  concerning  the  individual 
work  of  these  two  artists,  it  is  because  I took  them  as  a 
tvpe,  and  believed  that  I could  best  arouse  an  interest  in 
their  work  hv  dwelling  upon  the  principles  which  it 
involves. 


I [O 


CHAPTER  V. 


1 


By  Clarence  //,  White 


EVENING— INTERIOR 


r 1 


.1 


i 


By  Clarence  II.  White 

“LANDSCAPE  WITH  SHEEP” 


CHAPTER  V 

Other  Methods  of  Individual  Expression 

IU,LSTRATK,I>  BY  THE  WoRK  OF  CLARENCE  II.  WHITE  AND  WlI,l,I.\M  B.  D’lER 

E are  continuing  in  this  chapter  a study  of  tlie 
possibilities  and  means  ot  personal  expres- 
sion in  photography.  Whether  there  are, 
indeed,  possibilities  represents  the  actual 
crux  of  the  question  : Is  photography  to  he 
reckoned  among  the  tine  arts  ? 

By  those  who  have  folknved  the  course  ot  this  series, 
I venture  to  hope  that  the  question  has  been  answered  in 
the  athrmative.  But  ignorance  or  indifd'erence  on  the 
subject  is  very  widely  spread.  I am  reminded  as  I write 
that  the  authorities  ot  the  Pan-American  Exposition 
made  no  provision  for  photography  in  the  art  section  ; on 
the  other  hand,  that  those  of  the  International  Exhibition 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


at  Glasgow  not  only  did  so,  but  sent  over  to  this  country 
a special  commissioner  to  secure  a good  representation  ot 
American  prints,  and  that  these  attracted  much  favorable 
comment  in  comparison  with  the  British,  French, 
German  and  Austrian  work,  simultaneously  shown.  Evi- 
dently the  Scotchman  has  “ a bee  in  his  bonnet,”  or  else 
on  this  particular  point  he  is  far  ahead  of  the  progressive 
American.  Our  authorities  at  Buffalo  seem  to  have 
shared  the  common  notion  that  photography  is  only  a 
mechanical  process  ; that  a piece  of  glass,  coated  with  a 
him  of  bromide  of  silver,  is  put  into  a dark  box,  exposed 
to  the  light,  and  “ there  you  have  it  !”  But  what  ? The 
negative  ; and  this  is  only  the  hrst  step  in  the  process ; 
one,  indeed,  that  needs  artistic  feeling  and  knowledge,  as 
we  have  tried  to  show  in  previous  chapters,  hut  only  a 
step  towards  the  ultimate  result.  The  photographer  so 
far  has  reached  a point  corresponding  to  that  arrived  at 
by  the  student  when  he  succeeds  in  gaining  admission  to 
a university.  It  is  then  that  the  actual  development  of 
his  character  and  mental  machinerv  must  begin  : which 
c\)urse  of  study  shall  he  select  in  order  best  to  develop  the 
inherent  possibilities  of  his  attainments  and  temperament  ? 
fust  so  the  photographer  is  confronted  with  the  choice  of 
many  ways  of  producing  a print  from  his  negative.  I’he 
latter  has  certain  qualities  which  suggest  the  advisabilitv 
of  using  one  out  of  these  many  processes,  and  the  photog- 
rapher has  certain  motixes  of  his  own  which  he  thinks 
the  negative  can  be  made  to  yield.  So  by  the  choice  of 
a method  and  by  the  skill  and  feeling  with  which  he  uses 
it  will  be  determined  whether  the  residtant  print  is  an 
ordinary  record  ot  certain  facts  or  an  expression  of  indi- 
vidual artistic  purpose. 


2''ro}}i  a platniotyPc  by  Liarcncc  //.  //  /uic 

lELKGKAPH  POLKS" 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


It  is  here  that  the  commercial  photographer  is  apt  to 
diher  from  those  who  can  spare  the  time  to  treat  the  sub- 
ject artistically.  His  objective  is  a dehnite  financial  profit; 
he  cannot  afiord  to  experiment,  and  adopts  a certain 
process  which  in  the  long  run  produces  the  best  average 
of  results  and  sticks  to  it.  On  the  other  hand,  the  pho- 
tographer who  allows  himself  the  luxury  of  study  and 
reflection,  either  varies  his  process  according  to  the  qual- 
ities of  each  negative,  or  if  he  make  a practice  of  one 
process,  preserves  a continual  attitude  of  experimenting  in 
the  care  and  thought  with  which  he  applies  it  or  reapplies 
It  until  the  result  he  has  in  mind  and  heart  be  reached. 
It  is  this  which  determines  the  money  value  of  a print. 
Some  readers  may  be  surprised  to  know  that  considerably 
over  one  hundred  dollars  has  been  paid  for  many.  Such 
au  amount,  however,  they  will  agree  is  a small  one  to  pay 
for  an  oil  painting,  because  it  is  engrained  in  their  minds 
that  an  oil  painting  is  necessarily  expensive.  But  why  ? 
Oil  is  cheap  enough,  paints  not  extravagantly  dear,  and 
neither  canvas  nor  frames  exorbitant  in  price.  What  we 
pay  for  is  not  these  ingredients,  hut  an  added  value,  the 
indehnahle  something  put  into  them  by  the  personality  of 
the  artist.  Equallv  it  is  not  the  price  of  paper  and 
chemicals  or  eveii  of  the  photographer’s  time  at  so  much 
the  hour  that  sums  up  the  value  of  a photograph,  but  the 
skill  and  feeling  of  the  operator  which  transmutes  the 
result  and  makes  it  a work  of  art. 

And  how  sliall  we  know  it  for  a work  of  art?  you 
ask.  Frankly,  there  is  no  comprehensive,  infallible  test, 
for  feeling  as  well  as  fact  is  to  he  reckoned  with  ; the 
fact,  being  certain  rules  of  composition,  themselves  various 
and  contradictory,  differing,  for  example,  in  a Japanese 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


print  and  in  a picture 
recognized  by  the  acad- 
emies of  Europe  ; the 
feeling,  a matter  for 
ourselves  to  decide.  If 
the  picture  affects  us 
pleasurably,  it  is,  at 
least  to  ourselves,  a work 
of  art.  The  fellow  who 
“ knows  it  all  ” may 
tell  us  we  are  wrong. 

Let  us  listen  to  his  ar- 
guments ; in  time  we 
may  find  he  is  right  ; 
perhaps,  however,  he  is 
not  right,  having  only 
his  own  store  of  facts 
and  feelings  to  work 
by  ; meanwhile,  we 
have  got  our  enjoy- 
ment, and  this  way  of 
thinkingly  recognizing 
“what  we  like”  brings 
with  it  a continuously 
developing  appreciation 
and  knowledge ; our 
old  loves  are  replaced  by  others  more  congenial  to  our 
riper  and  wider  judgment;  we  ourselves  develop,  and  our 
taste  correspondingly.  But  never  he  satisfied  with  the 
other  fellow’s  dictum ; let  our  judgments  and  fancies  in 
the  matter  of  art,  whether  right  or  wrong  in  others’ 
eyes,  he  matters  of  our  own  conviction. 


By  Clarence  H.  IVhite 
PORTRAIT  OF  MRS.  D.” 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


In  the  previous  chapter  various  methods  of  manipulat- 
ing the  negative  or  print  were  considered.  Here  we  will 
hrieliy  touch  on  the  platinotype  and  gum-hichromate 
methods  ot  development,  using  them  as  pegs  on  which  to 
hang  a discussion  ot  the  work  of  Clarence  H.  White  and 
ot  William  B.  Over;  not  exhaustively  from  the  point  of 
view  either  ot  the  expert  or  the  critic,  but  following  our 
plan  ot  treating  various  phases  of  the  art  and  of  illustrat- 
ing them  by  reterence  to  some  of  their  leading  exponents. 
All  the  prints  ot  Mr.  White,  kindly  submitted  for  this 
chapter,  are  platinotvpes,  while  the  best  of  Mr.  Dyer’s  are 
gum-bichromates.  Hence  the  adjustment  of  our  thought. 
On  the  other  hand,  both  these  gentlemen  trequently 
indulge  in  ligure  subjects,  as  distinguished  from  portraits 
or  landscape.  On  this  point,  however,  I shall  touch  but 
liglitly,  as  it  will  he  the  topic  specially  considered  in  the 
next  chapter. 

Air.  White  appears  to  lind  in  the  platinotype  process 
the  best  expression  of  his  purpose.  When  platinum  paper 
is  exposed  to  light  in  the  printing  frame  the  dark  parts 
cxnne  out  first  in  a teinporary  image  of  iron  or  silver, 
which  in  the  subsequent  process  of  development  is,  in 
some  cases,  overlaid  with,  in  others  exchanged  for,  a 
permanent  image  in  metallic  platinum.  ddiis  is  the 
scientihc  statement  which  may  mean  much  or  nothing  to 
the  reader;  hut  the  main  thing  is  that  the  platinum,  being 
distributed  over  the  paper  \\'ith  exceeding  fineness,  yields 
exc]uisitely  grailuated  tones  of  black  and  gray.  This 
black,  blue-black  or  browii-black,  but  deep  and  full  of 
color,  and  tbe  delicate  differences  of  gray  are  the  distin- 
guishing characteristics  of  this  process.  It  lends  itself, 
therefore,  ecpially  to  rich  and  dainty  effects,  and  is  in- 


1 20 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


valuable  when  tender  differences  of  tone  are  desired  or 
sumptuous  depth  of  color.  For  an  example  ol  the  former 
may  he  cited  the  Portrait  of  Mrs.  D.,  in  which  the  stiff- 
ness and  glare  of  a white  pique  costume  is  reduced  to  a 
mingling  of  soft  radiance  and  equally  soft  shadow,  daintily 
differei^ltiated  from  the  light  wall  behind  the  hgure.  The 
picture  recalls  a somewhat  similar  subject  by  the  painter, 
John  S.  Sargent,  inspired  by  the  same  artistic  motive  of 
preserving  the  freshness  of  the  fabric  while  controlling  its 
angularity  and  sharp  ohtrusiveness ; and,  although  the 
painting  has  more  style,  the  print  is  equally  artistic  in  a 
more  gracious  manner. 

It  opens  up  a consideration  of  Air.  White’s  work 
from  the  artistic  standpoint.  After  knowing  his  prints 
only  in  driblets  at  various  exhibitions,  I have  had  the 
pleasure  on  this  occassion  of  examining  over  one  hundred, 
and  they  offer  quite  a revelation.  Probably  there  is  not 
one  in  which  genuine  artistic  feeling  fails  to  appear. 
Aloreover,  it  has  been  cultivated.  He  has  mastered  the 
principles  of  composition  and  trained  his  sense  of  line; 
places  the  hgures  excellejitly  in  their  space,  surrounds  them 
with  atmosphere,  and  distributes  over  and  around  them  a 
fascinating  web  of  light  and  shade,  using  also  the  simplest 
objects  to  complete  the  picture,  but  with  a judgment  that 
makes  them  contribute  to  the  beauty  of  the  design.  In 
many  prints,  for  example,  recurs  a little  ice-chest,  but  its 
homeliness  is  forgotten  in  the  suggestive  way  in  which  it 
has  been  used  to  secure  a solid  mass  when  such  was 
needed.  The  most  notable  instance  of  Air.  White’s 

ability  to  extract  beauty  from  the  homeliest  material  is  the 
print  entitled  Telegraph  Poles.  The  scene  appears  to  be  a 
canal,  on  the  banks  of  which  are  poles  and  irregular 


I2I 


PHOTOCiRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


buildings,  separated  by  vacant  spaces,  like  teeth  and 
stumps  and  gaps  in  an  old  crone’s  jaw — an  unsightly,  even 
squalid,  spot,  at  least  to  the  stranger ; but  to  the  man 
who  has  seen  it  under  all  sorts  ot  aspects  of  light  and 
weather,  moreover,  with  an  artist’s  eye,  alive  to  the 
abstract  fascination  of  mere  lines  and  masses,  of  mingled 

variety  of  tone,  this 
most  Linsuggestive  sub- 
ject has  revealed  pos- 
sibilities which  have 
yielded  an  original 
and  strikingly  beautiful 
picture. 

If  I am  addressing 
any  one  who  has 
hitherto  regarded  art  as 
the  mere  imitating  of 
objects,  this  picture 
shoidd  open  up  a new 
idea.  It  would  seem 
that  it  is  not  so  much 
the  objects  as  the  use 
which  the  artist  makes 
of  them  that  consti- 
tutes art,  the  little  something  of  himself  mixed  in  with 
the  ingredients,  the  personal  alchemy  that  transmutes 
the  commonplace  into  the  beautiful.  So,  if  you  want 
your  portrait  taken,  it  may  be  less  important  what 
clothes  vou  wear  than  whom  you  select  to  photograph 
them. 

A print  that  gives  increasing  satisfaction  is  Self-ohlivtous . 
In  view  of  the  simple  elegance  of  the  apartment  [simplex 


I 22 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


7)iun(litiis,  as  Horace,  writing  in  the  days  of  Roman  osten- 
tation, has  it),  and  the  dainty  artihce  ol  the  little  hits  of 
china  and  foliage-sprays,  I dare  to  he  honest  and  to 
express  a wish  that  the  impetuosity  of  the  artist  had 
allowed  the  lady  time  to  finish  the  arrangement  of  her 
hair.  Its  disarray  troubles 
the  serenity  of  the  composi- 
tion ; hut,  accepting  it  as  we 
hnd  it,  how  dignified  is  the 
picture  with  its  ample  pas- 
sages of  dark  and  volumin- 
ous mass  of  lighter  drapery, 
the  latter  so  simple  and  yet 
expressive  in  its  well-chosen 
lines.  One  may  hnd  the 
lighter  contour  of  the  dress 
a little  hard  and  insistent, 
lacking  in  atmosphere,  and 
while  on  this  subject  may 
refer  to  the  print  entitled 
'Tbe  Piiritau,  an  upright 
panel  with  the  standing 
hgure  of  a woman  seen  in 
prohle.  In  the  soft  rim  of 
light  down  the  front  of  the 
dress  there  is  greater  mystery, 
and  more  siditlety  in  the 
relation  of  the  darker  tones  and  in  their  differeiitiation 
from  the  backgrtnind ; and  these  qualities  have  a 
direct  artistic  reference  to  the  feeling  and  senti- 
ment of  the  picture.  What  exceeding  simplicitv  there 


By  Clarence  H.  White 
rilK  PURITAN" 


IS 


in  the  composition,  its  frank  contrast  of  Ion 


g up- 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


right  lines  with  a horizontal  mass  (the  ice-chest  by  the 
wav).  It  emphasizes  most  admirably  a point  that  many  a 
young  photographer  might  well  take  to  heart — that  there 
is  no  necessary  virture  in  elaboration,  hut  that  the  simplest 
principles,  cunningly  applied,  will  yield  most  satisfactory 
results.  In  both  these  last  two  prints  the  key-note  is 
simplicity ; in  the  one  case  with  a large  suggestion,  in  the 
other  with  a o-entle  reticence. 

O 

Let  us  compare  with  these  the  subject  IJ'hat  Shall  I 
Say  I a young  lady  seated  before  a writing  bureau.  This 
seems  by  comparison  a manufactured  article ; cleverly 
devised,  no  doubt,  but  lacking — what  ? Apparently  sim- 
plicity, which  might  have  been  secured  by  merging  into 
masses  some  of  the  separate  details.  The  lace  curtain, 
patterned  carpet  and  chair  trouble  us  with  distinct  dehni- 
tion  ; the  paraphernalia  of  the  bureau,  on  the  other  hand, 
is  sketchily  suggestive,  giving  an  idea  of  papers  and  litter 
of  stationery  without  the  facts  being  forced  upon  our 
notice.  I'his  part  of  the  picture  is  impressionistic,  the 
before-mentioned  details  obvious  and  by  contrast  common- 
place. The  ladv,  iigidn,  is  charmingly  presented,  hut  the 
pose  lacks  spontaneitv  ; she  did  not  assume  it  temporarily, 
one  feels  she  was  put  there  and  w'ill  stay.  I dwell  upon 
these  points  because  this  is  just  the  sort  of  a picture  that 
amuses  the  inexpert,  like  those  pretty  oil  paintings  of  the 
Diisseldorf  school  and  of  some  of  our  ovm  painters  with 
their  “seeing’s  believing”  accuracy  of  dehnition  and 
“ \\'hat-a-lot-for-vour-money  ” profusion  of  detail.  It 
lacks  sim jd icitv,  svnthesis,  and  spontaneousness,  being  too 
diffusi\e  aiul  insistent  upon  trifles. 

Compare  with  it  the  print  called  KvoSnig — Liter'ior ; 
light  Hltering  in  through  w'indowxs  upon  a seated  wamian  ; 


124 


■WHAT  SHALL  I SAY?’ 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


everything  told  in  a moment,  nothing  interfering  with  the 
suggesticm  oi  peace  and  resttulness — a true  hit  ot  im- 
pressionism. The  picture  is  saturated  with  tranquil  light, 
even  the  shadowed  parts  of  the  wall  and  the  woman’s 
figure  being  luminous there  is  no  shock  of  light  and 
dark,  hut,  as  it  were,  a pervasiveness  of  musing  quiet. 
Surely,  if  we  prefer  to  have  our  imagination  stimulated 
rather  than  to  have  a little  statement  of  fact  categorically 
related,  we  shall  prefer  this  picture  to  the  JVhat  Shall  I 
Say  ? The  management  of  the  light  in  this  Evoihig  sug- 
gests a reference  to  the  landscape  with  Sheep.  The 
original  is  steeped  in  warm  atmosphere.  Looking  at  the 
picture  one  seems  to  feel  the  atmosphere,  and  the  quality 
of  fading  light  is  equally  well  suggested.  The  tops  of 
the  trees  are  dark  against  the  sky,  but  lower  down  their 
shadows  are  still  loose  and  luminous  ; light  still  lingers  on 
the  sloping  hanks  and  glints  on  the  fleece  of  the  sheep. 
As  you  peer  into  the  dark  spots  of  the  picture,  hints  of 
detail  are  faintly  visible,  and  curious  and  unexpected 
pranks  of  light,  which  lend  a mystery  and  suggestiveness, 
such  as  the  scene  would  have  in  nature.  These  subtle 
effects,  as  was  urged  in  the  previous  chapter,  seem  to  he 
one  great  advantage  of  a “straight  ” photograph,  skillfully 
controlled,  over  the  much  manipulated  print,  which  must 
depend  chiefly  on  broad  and  general  effects.  'Fhis  subject 
of  Sheep  is  printed  in  tones  of  warm  brown  ; hence,  I 
fancy,  the  suggestion  of  evening,  whereas,  if  delicate  grays 
had  been  used,  it  wouhl  prohahlv  have  been  an  equally 
true  representation  of  very  early  morning.  If  this  he  so, 
it  gives  a clue  to  the  range  of  possibilities  in  treating  the 
negative,  so  as  to  make  it  yiehl  what  the  operator  desires. 
And  let  not  any  painter  smile  at  this  turning  of  morning 


PHOTCX^RAPHY  AS  A PANE  ART 


into  evening  effect,  or  vice  vc?\ut,  at  will,  for  it  is  often 
difficult  in  an  oil  painting  to  decide  which  of  the  two 
hours  has  been  intended.  The  phenomena  of  both  are 
often  very  similar,  differing  only  in  the  degree  of  warmth 
or  coolness  in  the  atmosphere  ; and  as  the  morning  may 
be  warm  and  the  evening  cool,  even  this  distinction  is  not 
always  reliable  ; and  age,  too,  yellow  pictures,  so  one  mav 
not  infrequently  he  in  doubt. 

The  earlv  morniiig  suggestion,  by  use  of  grav  tones,  is 
beautifully  represented  i]i  the  picture  cd  a ladv  walking  in 
a garden  entitled  Moniing.  'Phe  cool  light  steals  softlv 
th  rough  the  early  mistiness  of  atmosphere,  sprinkling 
leaves  and  flowers,  and  creeping  under  the  bushy  masses 
of  the  apple  tree.  What  a pure  and  fragrant  scene,  and 
how  charmingly  the  figure  is  treated,  detached  so  teiulerlv 
from  its  surroundings,  aud  yet  in  feeling  and  placing 
entirely  a part  of  them  ! The  picture  is  as  dainty  as  a 
fragment  of  rose-point  lace,  the  darker  mass  of  the  lady’s 
head  being  the  embossed  centre  of  the  design  ; it  might 
have  been  breathed  upon  the  paper  and  yet  the  evanescent 
appearence  will  be  permanent — one  of  the  benefits  of  the 
platinotype  process.  And  note,  this  tenderness  is  not 
obtained  at  the  expense  of  reality  and  suhstaiice.  The 
figure  is  very  tangible,  the  path  solid  and  sufficiently 
detailed,  the  nearby  foliage  detaches  itself  in  parts,  and  the 
distance  under  the  apple  trees  is  suggested.  Only  these 
are  blurred,  as  they  might  he  in  nature  at  this  hour.  I 
mention  this  because  there  is  a prevalent  notion  that  the 
necessary  and  infallible  recipe  for  tenderness  in  a picture  is 
hlurr  and  muzziness.  One  often  sees  such  pictures,  con- 
sisting merely  of  several  masses  of  tone  melting  int('>  one 
another;  very  prettv,  hut  inadequate  as  studies  of  nature 


1-7 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


‘ MORNING  ’ 


By  Claroice  H.  White 


because  they  generalize  tot)  mucli  and  obliterate  the  sense 
ot  lacts.  It  is  a virtue  of  this  t)iie  that,  while  the  facts 
are  subordinated  tt)  the  general  impression,  they  are 
suthciently  indicated  to  ensure  a ready  acceptance  of  them 
as  real  and  heautiful  in  themselves.  On  the  other  hand, 
the  charm  of  .It  the  IVnuhnv — am)ther  design  of  delicate 
grays — would  have  been  much  increased  if  some  hint  of 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


the  scene  outside  the  window  had  been  given.  As  it  is, 
the  lady  draws  back  the  transparent  curtain  to  reveal 
nothing  hut  formless  and  unlovely  blurs.  You  will  agree 
at  once  that  the  thffLised  atmospheric  effect  has  much  to 
do  with  the  beauty  of  this  picture ; hut,  lest  it  should 
seem  essential,  compare  The  Readers,  in  which  everything 
is  shown  in  clear  light.  The  subject  is  full  of  pensive 
tranquillity,  and  yet  there  is  no  muzziness  ; on  the  con- 
trary, a strong  composition  of  well-defined  darks  and 
lights  and  intermediate  tones,  a pattern  admirably  bold 
and  emphatic.  Its  harmonious  quiet  is  the  result  of 
serene,  unbroken  lines,  ample  simplicjty  of  spacing,  and 
the  complete  balance  preserved  in  the  masses  and  tones. 

In  most  of  these  prints  the  composition  has  been 
deliberately  arranged  with  a decorative  end  in  view.  A 
fine  example  is  seen  in  the  Portrait  of  Mrs.  D.,  which 
attracts  for  another  reason  ; that  it  is  the  only  subject 
illustrated  here  in  which  Mr.  White  has  shown  an  a^rtist’s 
joy  in  the  beauty  of  rounded  flesh  ; the  play  of  full  light 
on  the  soft  boss  of  the  shoulder,  and  the  showing  of  the 
firmly  modelled  arm  through  the  delicate  mesh  of  the 
sleeve.  Moreover,  there  is  a languorous  ease  about  this 
picture,  which  is  pleasant  by  way  of  occasional  contrast  to 
the  strained  earnestness  in  some  of  the  others.  We  do 
not  care  a fig  for  a man  who  is  not  in  earnest,  yet  the 
earnestness  should  not  obtrude  ; it  should  be  felt  rather 
than  clearly  stated.  In  some  of  these  prints  the  model  is 
keyed  up  to  such  a serious  consciousness  of  the  part  she  is 
playing  that  we  ourselves  experience  a sense  of  strain  and 
fatigue.  With  most  photographers  the  difficulty  is  to  find 
a model  that  can  enter  into  their  motives.  Mr.  White 
has  been  more  fortunate.  Two  ladies  appear  and  reappear 


120 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


throughout  his  pictures,  and  to  their  intelligence  and 
sympathy  he  owes,  no  doubt,  a large  measure  of  the 
beautitul  results  secured.  I cannot  hut  feel,  however,  that 
they  would  often  help  the  picture  hy  a little  more  light- 
someness of  feeling.  In  the  well-rounded  artistic  tem- 
perament there  seems  always  to  be  a savor  of  this,  even 
an  occasional  petulance  of  contempt  for  art,  as  being,  after 
all,  so  inadequate  to  express  everything  the  artist  has  to 
say.  It  acts  as  salt  to  the  imaginatio]i,  keeping  it  fresh 
and  racy  ; helps  the  artist  to  step  outside  himself  and  see 
what  he  is  doing  as  a man  ; prevents  him  from  circling 
too  persistently  around  the  centre  of  himself,  and  widens 
the  orbit  until  its  direction  appears  to  he  spontaneous.  In 
a spirit  of  sympathy  with  Mr.  White’s  motives,  and  out  of 
admiration  for  his  v/ork,  I commend  this  thought  to  his 
redection. 

So  far  we  have  been  discussing  platinotypes,  almost  all 
of  them  “ straight  ” prints,  such  manipulation  as  occurs 
being  only  to  secure  a loosening  of  the  color  in  the 
shadowed  parts.  Mr.  Dyer  also  works  in  this  medium, 
hut  the  examples  I have  selected  introduce  us  to  the  gum- 
bichromate  process,  for  in  this  he  seems  to  have  accom- 
plished the  most  notable  results.  Color  and  tone  would 
appear  to  he  the  qualities  that  he  best  understands,  for  in 
comptisition  he  shows  weakness,  the  lines  and  masses  being 
often  angular,  jerky,  and  harsh,  and  the  patterns  confused. 
But  in  the  gum-hichromate  process,  wherein  tone  and 
color  count  so  much,  he  has  struck  a vein  which  should 
vield  rich  results. 

d he  process,  briefly,  is  as  follows ; The  operator, 
having  taken  his  negative,  prepares  the  paper  for  printing 
hy  spreading  it  with  a mixture  of  gum,  water  color,  and 

130 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


potassium  bichromate. 

When  the  coating  is 
dry  the  paper  is  exposed 
to  the  light  through  a 
negative  in  a printing 
frame  in  the  usual  man- 
ner. The  sunlight  ren- 
ders the  gum  insoluble, 
in  proportion  to  the 
amount  of  light  which 
gets  through  the  nega- 
tive. Thus  under  the 
clearest  parts  (which,  it 
will  he  remembered, 
represent  the  shadows 
of  the  actual  picture) 
the  gum  becomes  in- 
soluble, while  under  the 
darkest  parts  (which 
will  he  the  lightest) 
the  gum  remains  sol- 
uble, and  a gradation  of 
insolubility  is  reached 
in  the  intermediate  parts.  The  paper  is  then  washed 
in  water,  which  removes  the  gum  according  to  the 
degree  of  its  solubility,  and  with  the  gum  the  coloring 
matter  in  it.  If  the  photographer  leaves  the  paper  in  the 
printing  frame  until  the  light  has  accomplished  its  work 
thoroughly,  the  result  will  he  a straight  photograph.  Put 
if  he  takes  it  out  after  an  exposure  merely  sufficient  to 
indicate  the  outlines  of  the  image,  he  can,  by  simple 
application  of  water,  remove  much  or  little  or  all  of  the 


By  Clarence  H,  IC/iile 
“THE  READERS” 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


gum  in  any  part  he  wishes.  In  this  way  he  is  able  to 
modify  the  tones,  remove  any  details,  and  to  entirely  alter 
the  character  of  the  subject.  Through  this  complete 
freedom  of  manipulation,  joined  to  a wide  range  in  the 
choice  of  color  and  quality  of  paper,  this  process  offers 
the  greatest  possibilities  of  personal  expression,  and  in  the 
hands  of  any  one  of  artistic  knowledge,  as  well  as  artistic 
temperament,  may  be  made  to  give  surprisingly  beautiful 
results  in  certain  subjects.  For  it  is  not  suitable  in  all 
“It  is  generally  said  to  be  specially  indicated  for 


cases. 


broad,  sketchy  effects,”  writes  Mr.  F.  A.  Waugh,  an 
expert  of  the  process,  in  The  Photo  Mi?iiature  “ and 
perhaps  this  phrase  comes  as  near  covering  the  case  as  can 
anything  short  of  personal  experience.  I find  it  particu- 
larly useful  for  the  fine 
texture  it  gives,  espe- 
cially with  lampblack. 
This  texture  gives  the 
best  rendering  I have 
ever  seen  for  old 
mossy  stones,  for  di- 
lapidated architectural 
masses,  light  and 
shadow  on  old  tree 
trunks,  and  the  like. 
It  is  incomparably  use- 
ful in  showing  trees, 
especially  when  leaf- 
less, and  when  only 
the  outlines  of  the 
trunks  and  tops  or  the 
tracery  of  the  branches 


By  Clarence  //.  ly/iite 
‘AT  THE  WINDOW” 


PORTRAIT  OF  MRS.  J), 


By  Claroice  II.  II  /lite 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


is  wanted.  I dnd  it  difficult  to  interpret  water  surfaces 
in  most  composition  (though  not  in  all)  by  this  process. 
It  is  difficult  to  print  in  clouds  which  may  be  in  the  nega- 
tive, hut  supremely  easy  to  ‘fake’  in  clouds  not  in  the 
negative.  . . . It  is  not  generally  useful  for  por- 

traiture, though  it  gives  the  happiest  results  in  certain 
cases.” 

It  will  he  noticed  that  Mr.  Waugh  uses  the  term 
“fake,”  placing  it,  however,  in  quotation,  for  elsewhere 
in  his  interesting  brochure  he  alludes  to  it  as  a charge 
brought  by  others  against  the  manipulation  of  prints, 
whereas  he  claims  the  right  to  do  anything  to  secure  the 
desired  result.  In  the  previous  paper  I tried  to  sum  up  a 
just  conclusion  of  this  matter,  and  what  was  said  in 
relation  to  the  glycerine  process  may  fairly  he  urged  in 
connection  with  the  gum-bichromate.  Successful  manipu- 
lation demands  artistic  training,  the  ability  to  draw,  as  well 
as  the  trained  eye  for  values  and  tones,  and  the  results  in 
this  process  will  he  of  a “broad  and  sketchy”  kind. 
This  last  statement  seems  to  hear  out  what  I said  in 
speaking  of  the  glycerine  process,  and  that  both  these 
methods  of  printing  are  unsuited  to  subtle  effects  and 
delicate  distinctions  of  tone,  as,  for  example,  appear  in 
some  landscapes.  'Phe  point  is  worth  insisting  upon,  for 
the  fascinating  liberty  of  action  which  both  allow  the 
operator  may  easily  blind  him  to  their  dehciencies.  On 
the  other  hand,  there  are  possibilities  in  the  gum-hichro- 
mate  process  of  printing  which  fully  justify  the  enthusiasm 
of  those  who  use  it  and  their  belief  that  it  offers  the  most 
fertile  soil  for  further  development  of  the  art.  A well- 
known  “straight”  photographer  tells  me  (very  signih- 
cantlv)  that,  if  he  had  the  requisite  skill  in  drawing,  he 


134 


STUDY  OF  A HEAD 


From  a gum~bicromatc  by  IVilliam  B.  Dyer 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


would  be  devoted  to  the  process  ; though,  he  adds,  not  so 
much  to  change  as  to  modify  the  straight  record  of  the 
negative.  I fancy,  however,  that  when  his  enthusiasm 
became  aroused  over  a certain  point,  he  might  easily 
hnd  himself  going  heyond  this  self-appointed  boundary. 
“ The  wind  bloweth  where  it  listeth,  and  ye  cannot  tell 
whence  it  cometh  or  whither  it  goeth  ; ” the  wind,  in  this 
case  of  personal  expression,  trying  to  free  itself. 

Mr.  Dyer,  so  far  as  I know,  has  limited  the  use  of 
this  process  to  idealized  representations  of  the  human 
hgure.  The  originals  of  the  examples  illustrated  here  are 
colored  brownish-red  in  the  darker  parts  and  warm  buff 
in  the  lights,  and,  except  for  the  merging  of  the  drapery 
into  the  background,  are  straight  prints  from  negatives  a 
little  under-exposed.  I find  it  difficult  to  take  an  interest 
in  Before  Agincourt ; it  conveys  little  meaning,  and  its 
sentiment  seems  concocted  ; nor  are  the  lines  agreeable,  the 
arm  and  open  sleeve  being  particularly  devoid  of  feeling, 
while  the  lower  part  of  the  figure  is  not  accounted  for  or 
its  support  sufficiently  indicated.  But  the  Stuffy  of  a Head 
has  many  beautiful  qualities.  The  design  is  hold,  while 
the  sentiment  is  tender  and  dreamy  ; there  is  impressive- 
ness of  mass  and  mystery  of  parts  ; beauty  of  firm,  ripe 
flesh,  and  pleasant  contrast  of  foamy  drapery  ; agreeable 
color  and  real  suggestion  of  atmosphere.  While  the 
figure  in  the  other  picture  seems  fading  into  or  out  of 
the  wall,  you  feel  that  there  is  space  beyond  this  head, 
that  itself  is  real  and  tangible,  and  the  haze  which 
envelops  it  is  luminous  and  penetrable.  One  wonders  if 
the  negative  ^^'ere  taken  in  the  open  air.  Certainly  this 
method  of  using  the  process  to  secure  flat  tints,  modelled 
but  slightly,  would  suggest  its  suitability  for  out-of-door 


J'  ron  a gum-bichromatc  by  U ‘uliani  B.  Dyer 


“BEFORE  AGINCOURT” 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


studies  of  the  human  figure.  For  it  may  not  have 
occurred  to  every  reader  that  in  a studio  the  light,  being 
partial,  is  accompanied  by  shadows  which  throw  the 
modelling  up  in  strong  relief,  but  that  the  greater  diffusion 
of  light  in  the  open  air  reduces  the  appearance  of  bulk 
in  objects  ; fattens  them,  in  fact,  and  for  contrasts  of  light 
and  shadow  substitutes  faintlv  different  planes  of  tone.  If, 
therefore.  Air.  Dyer’s  experiments  have  not  already  led 
him  in  this  direction,  one  may  hope  he  will  essay  it. 

We  shall  realize  more  fully  the  possibilities  of  the 
gum-bichromate  process,  if  we  think  for  a moment  how 
the  print  might  have  been  developed.  The  background, 
instead  of  being  washed  away,  might  have  been  left  dark, 
the  head  merging  into  it  ; or  the  head  might  have  been 
made  li«:ht  as  a contrast,  or  lights  might  have  been 
introduced  in  parts  of  it  ; the  drapery  might  have  been  de- 
fined or  indicated  merely  hv  a few  sketchy  lines.  Any 
one  of  these  devices,  and  doubtless  there  are  others,  would 
have  transformed  the  character  of  the  pictures,  giving  it 
not  only  a different  appearance,  but  another  kind  of  senti- 
ment. No  wonder  the  operator  is  fascinated  ! He  can 
improvise  like  a pianist  upon  the  keys. 

In  this  and  the  previous  chapter  I have  tried  to  ex- 
plain some  cfi  the  wavs  in  which  photographers  can  con- 
trol, modifv,  and  even  alter  the  statement  of  the  camera  ; 
not,  indeed,  exhaustively  ; touching,  in  fact,  only  “ the 
fringe  upt)n  the  petticoat,”  yet  surelv  ejiough  to  make 
clear  that,  if  they  are  artists  by  temperament  and  training, 
they  can  make  their  print  a medium  of  personal  expression. 
Like  the  painters,  thev  may  not  always  try  to  nor  always 
succeetl  when  they  try  ; hut  the  possibilities  are  within 
their  reach,  and  many  photographers  have  grasped  them. 

■38 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


To  admit  this  is  to  recognize  photography  as  one  of  the 
hue  arts.  For  do  not  let  us  he  cheated  hy  a name. 
There  is  much  in  painting,  in  sculpture,  and  architecture 
which  hears  the  same  relation  to  Art  (with  a capital  letter) 
as  the  husk  hears  to  the  grain  ; necessary  in  the  evolution 
of  things,  hut  unsatisfactory  as  nutriment.  If  a picture 
speaks  right  home  to  me,  or  I know  that  it  has  to 
generations  of  men  before  me,  I hail  it  as  a work  of  art ; 
it  it  merely  gives  me  a record  ot  tacts,  more  or  less  per- 
tectly  represented,  it  leaves  me  cold,  and  I count  it  only 
journeyman’s  work.  So,  while  the  photographs  that 
figure  in  the  shop  windows  very  otten  contradict  all 
recognized  canons  of  art,  there  are  others,  such  as  those 
we  have  been  considering,  and  many  more,  which  not 
only  satisfy  a cultivated  taste,  hut  bring  to  one  a personal 
message,  a hint  of  human  character,  a whiff  of  fresh 
country  air,  or  the  poetic  fancy  of  an  artist’s  mind.  Such 
are  acceptable  as  works  of  art. 


139 


ff 


’.P 

■Si' 


w . 


, . « 

’.i 


I 


CMArTER  VI. 


By  hdxvard  J . Bteichen 


■‘PORTRAIT  OF  ALPHONSE  MUCHA’ 


1 


3 


...1 


CHAPTER  VI 

Thp:  Landscape  Subject 

BY  Reference  to  the  Work  of  Edward  J.  Steichen 

a preliminary  to  the  Landscape  Subject  in 
photography,  let  us  briefly  glance  at  the 
pedigree  of  landscape  in  painting,  for  the 
latter  has  developed  along  certain  motives 
which  are  still  in  force,  and  belong  as  much 
to  photography  as  to  painting. 

The  landscape  in  art  was  first  studied  and  used  as  a 
background  to  hgures.  Si')  we  find  it  in  the  works  of 
the  Italians,  where  the  painter’s  motive  was  to  furnish  a 
decorative  pattern  of  form  and  color  behind  the  tigure,  to 
surround  the  figure  with  atmosphere,  and  to  contrast  its 


I LLHSTRATED 


'45 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A PANE  ART 


closeness  and  predominance  with  the  subsidiary  charm  of 
vaguer  distance ; in  tact,  to  set  the  hgure  in  a concave 
space  of  light  and  atmosphere,  somewhat  as  the  sculptor 
puts  his  statue  in  a niche  ot  architecture.  It  was  not  until 
the  seventeenth  century  that  landscape  was  studied  really 
tor  its  own  sake  and  assumed  an  independent  importance. 
Then,  immediately,  trom  this  single  source  of  the  dignity 
ot  landscape  start  two  separate  streams  of  motive  : the 
naturalistic  and  the  artihcial.  The  former,  which  aims  to 
depict  nature  as  it  really  is,  was  the  motive  of  the  Dutch 
painters,  preeminently  of  Hobbema  ; while  the  latter, 
which  woidd  represent  nature  as  the  painter  conceived  it 
was  desirable  it  should  he,  was  followed  by  the  French 
painters,  Nicolas  Poussin  and  Claude  Lorrain.  Poussin 
spent  most  ot  his  life  in  Italy,  and  being  saturated  with 
classical  lore  and  the  induence  of  grand  architecture  and 
of  tower-crowned  hills,  painted  the  so-called  heroic  land- 
scape, largelv  as  backgrounds  for  his  figure  compositions 
of  heroes.  The  reputation  accorded  to  his  work  in 
P'rance  laid  the  foundation  of  the  classic  or  academic 
school  of  P'rench  landscape.  Claude,  his  contemporary, 
while  relying  more  upon  the  landscape  than  the  figures, 
emidated  this  classic  motive,  building  up  imaginary  scenes 
of  great  beauty,  hut  with  only  a partial  reference  to  nature, 
hearing,  indeed,  about  the  same  relation  to  it  that  f^irgiPs 
descriptions  of  scenerv  hear  to  Tennyson’s.  It  is  interest- 
ing to  note,  hy  the  way,  that  when  the  reaction  began  in 
Phigland  against  the  old-fashioned  gardens,  which  had 
gone  to  extravagance  of  artiticiality  in  such  features  as  the 
cutting  or  “pleaching”  of  trees  and  shrubs  to  imitate  the 
forms  of  birds  and  animals,  the  landscape  gardeners  who 
urged  a return  to  nature  actually  set  themselves  to  imitating 

j,(6 


PHOTOGRAPPiY  AS  A FINE  ART 


the  artificiality  of  Claude’s  landscapes  ! When  landscape 
painting  was  begun  in  England,  Constable  followed  Hob- 
bema ; while  later  on  Turner,  in  the  early  part  ot  bis 
career,  was  influenced  by  Claude  Eorrain.  The  French 
movemeiit  of  the  Fontainehleau-Barbizon  painters  was  a 
revolt  from  the  artificial  formality  of  the  classic  land- 
scape and  a return  to  the  nature-study  of  the  Dutch  ; a 
recognition  also  of  the  clrarm  of  the  simple,  familiar 
country-side — the  paysc?ge  'wtiine — as  compared  with  the 
heroic  of  man’s  imagination  or  the  stupendous  phenomena 
of  nature’s  self.  The  latest  movement — that  of  the  plcw- 
ainsts,  or  open-air  painters — is  but  a pushing  of  nature- 
study  to  closer  intimacy,  with  a special  desire  to  express 
the  beauty  of  light  and  atmosphere. 

I’oday  few  painters  indulge  in  the  classic  landscape 
unless  as  an  accompaniment  to  mural  decoration,  yet  the 
distinction  in  motive  between  nature  as  it  is  and  what  the 
painter  imagines  it  might  he  still  survives.  Some  draw 
upon  their  imagination  for  subjects  and  paint  the  land- 
scape frankly  out  of  their  heads  ; others  draw  from  nature, 
but  with  application  of  school  and  studio  recipes  for 
depicting  the  evanescent,  elastic,  and  constantly  varying 
aspects  of  nature ; and  even  amongst  those  who  loyally 
take  her  for  their  guide,  philosopher,  and  friend  this 
distinction  asserts  itself  as  the  result  of  their  mental 
attitude  towards  nature. 

It  has  been  the  fashion,  both  in  literature  and  pictures, 
to  represent  nature  as  corresponding  very  sympathetically 
with  the  vicissitudes  and  moods  of  humanity.  Thus  it  is 
proper  that  the  sun  should  smile  upon  the  virtuous  heroine 
while  the  welkin  gapes  with  lightning  and  riunbles 
thunderously  over  the  doomed  head  of  the  villain.  This 


'47 


rill';  TOOL— KVKiXING" 


Jiy  Edward  J . Steichcn 


PHOTCKJRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


affectation  of  the  Romanticists,  beginning  with  Byron 
among  writers  and  with  Gericault  among  painters,  is  dying 
a lingering  death  in  the  obscurity  of  the  bucolic-domestic 
drama.  Yet  the  fact  remains  that,  though  nature  is  abso- 
lutely insensate,  just  as  likely  to  he  gay  over  a child’s 
corpse  as  to  drench  a bridal  party,  we  do  hnd  in  her  relent- 
less routine  of  changes  both  an  inspiration  to  emotion  and 
a correspondence  to  our  moods.  Looking  out  to  sea  when 
a fresh  breeze  is  ruffling  the  water  and  the  little  waves 
dance  to  one  another  and  play  hall  with  the  sunshine,  we 
must  be  in  poor  case  it  we  do  ]iot  teel  an  exhilaration,  or 
when  we  stand  in  the  rarelied  air  t)t  the  mountains,  with 
spaciousness  on  all  sides,  above  and  beneath  us  ; scarcely, 
either,  can  we  miss  the  sweet  allurement  of  nature  settling 
to  repose  at  sunset ; and,  it  one’s  mind  is  ragged  with 
worry  or  the  heart  torn  with  griet,  I know  no  better  tonic 
and  solace  than  to  walk  on  and  on  with  rain  and  wind 
against  one’s  face.  After  all  this  inert  thing,  nature,  is  a 
perpetual  source  ot  svmpathy  and  inspiration,  having  in  it 
a latent  poetry.  It  was  this  that  the  Fontainehleau- 
Barhizon  painters  sought  lor,  and  accordiiiglv  painted 
poetic  landscapes,  as  innumerable  painters  are  doing  today. 

It  would  seem,  however,  that  there  are  two  wavs  of 
essaying  the  poetic  landscape — one,  in  which  the  artist 
lets  nature  tell  her  own  storv  ; the  other  in  which  he 
makes  her  the  iiiterpreter  of  his.  Of  the  latter  method 
Corot  was  a preeminent  example,  alwavs  true  to  the  facts 
of  nature,  hut  choosing  to  depict  those  which  harmonized 
with  his  own  sweet  tenderness  of  disposition.  Rousseau,  on 
the  other  hand,  like  Moiiet  todav,  and  like  our  own 
deceased  painter  (ieorge  Inness,  seems  to  have  found  a 
sufficiency  in  nature.  Having  no  desire  to  express  an 


photo(;raphy  as  a fine  art 


antecedent  emotion  of  his  own,  he  paints  nature  objec- 
tively hut  with  such  enthusiam  and  loyalty  to  truth  that 
he  succeeds  in  grasping  her  latent  poetry.  There  need  be 
no  question  of  which  is  the  better  way.  The  motive, 
reaching  in  each  case  a corresponding  result,  is  dictated  by 
the  artist’s  individual  temperament.  But  the  point  of  im- 
portance to  ourselves  is  that  the  picture,  whether  it  reflects 
the  feeling  of  the  artist  or  embodies  the  impersonal 
poetry  of  nature,  shall  be  able  to  affect  us  with  some 
recognizable  emotion  ; that  it  shall  not  be  a bare  inventory 
of  facts,  but  express  something  of  the  relation  between 
those  facts  and  our  own  lives. 

At  first  sight  it  might  seem  that  the  photographer  has 
no  option  as  to  motive  ; that  he  is  obliged  to  record  nature 
as  it  is,  and  that  the  camera,  in  its  appetite  for  detail,  will 
insist  mainly  upon  the  facts.  This  suspicion  is  certainly 
indorsed  by  the  great  majority  of  photographers,  wherein 
excessive  definition  is  the  prevailing  quality.  On  the 
other  hand,  in  the  two  previous  chapters  we  have  seen 
how  the  photographer  can  control  the  result  during  the 
process  of  printing,  by  elimination,  addition,  or  even  by 
complete  alteration.  So  in  his  case  also  the  distinction  of 
mcnive  intervenes — shall  he  adhere  to  the  mere  facts  of 
the  camera,  or  modify  them  ; and,  if  the  latter,  shall  it  be 
in  the  direction  of  nature  as  it  is  or  of  nature  as  his  fancy 
would  imagine  it  ? 

I have  continually  used  the  expression  “nature  as  it  is” 
for  convenience  sake,  with  intentional,  though,  I hope, 
pardonable  inaccuracv  ; for  we  speak  of  nature  as  being  so 
and  so,  when  we  really  mean  that  it  appears  to  he  so  and 
so  to  ourselves.  But  to  each  individual  observer  it  mani- 
fests more  or  less  variation  of  appearance,  for  each  man 


'V 


PHOTO(JRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


sees  only  what  he  has 
the  capacity  for  seeing 
— that  is  to  say,  his 

vision  is  affected  on  the 
one  hand  hy  the  indi- 
vidual character  ot  his 
pair  of  eyes,  on  the 
other  hy  his  power  ot 
observation,  hy  the  ex- 
perience of  what  he  has 
seen  before,  and  hy  the 
likes  and  dislikes  ot 

his  temperament,  which 
lead  him  to  look  for 
certain  things  in  prefer- 
ence to  others.  His 
physical  apparatus  for 
seeing  is  not  an  insensate  machine,  hut  an  instrument 
delicately  sensitive  to  conscious  and  unconscious  modu- 
lations. Now  the  camera  is  not.  It  records  what  it 
sees  mechanically  and,  more  than  that,  with  an 

eye  whose  way  of  seeing  and  recording  differs  from 
our  own.  When,  for  example,  we  look  at  a tree, 

we  cannot  distinguish  separately  all  the  leaves  in 
sight  or  take  in  at  a glance  the  lahvrinth  of  houghs  and 
twigs ; the  latter  compose  into  a general  character  of 
structure  and  direction,  the  foliage  into  a mass  or  arrange- 
ment of  masses.  Further,  as  we  gaze  over  a distance  the 
landscape  recedes  hv  easy  stages,  the  eve  readjusting  its 
focus  as  the  2;aze  travels  forward.  But  the  camera’s  focus 
is  fixed  ; it  is  apt  to  give  a surplus  of  definition  in  the 
foreground  and  to  jump  ahruptlv  to  vagueness  in  the  back- 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


ground.  The  human  way  of  seeing  may  he  summed  up 
as  tollows  : 

First — Our  eyes  have  a tendency  to  generalize  ; that  is 
to  say,  to  make  selection  and  to  arrange  in  masses. 

Secondly — Experience  is  constantly  reinforcing  our 
vision.  We  know  that  the  meadow  is  covered  with  blades 
of  grass  and  that  the  tree’s  mass  is  really  an  aggregation 
of  infinite  detail,  and  this  experience  supplies  the  de- 
ficiencies of  vision  through  the  imagination. 

Relying  on  these  principles  or  habits  of  seeing,  the 
landscape  painter  or  photographer,  if  he  follow  the  best 
traditions  of  art  (those,  in  fact,  which  are  truest  to  nature), 
generalizes  the  scene,  making  an  abstract  of  its  larger 
aspects  and  most  characteristic  features,  and  giving  just 
enough  suggestion  of  detail  to  stir  the  imagination  to 
realize  their  existence.  On  the  other  hand,  the  painter 
or  photographer  who  niggles  over  details  is  losing  the  big 
in  the  little,  interesting  merely  our  eye  and  making  no 
appeal  to  our  imagination.  Again,  all  of  us,  if  we  think 
about  it,  know  that  the  landscape  does  not  mass  itself  on 
one  plane,  hut  on  many,  one  behind  the  other,  and  that 
this  is  one  of  the  sources  of  beauty  in  nature.  For  there 
is  exhilaration  in  the  sense  of  space,  a certain  mystery  and 
enticement  to  the  imagination  in  distance  ; moreover,  the 
beauty  of  nature’s  coloring  is  largely  influenced  by  the 
tender  gradations  of  hue  caused  by  the  intervening  screens 
of  atmosphere.  The  painter  renders  these  by  infinitesimal 
differences  of  color,  proceeding  in  orderly  sequence  from 
the  front  to  the  horizon.  The  photographer,  limited  to 
one  color,  attains  the  same  result  by  varving  its  tones — in 
the  platinotype  print,  for  example,  securing  between  the 
darkest  black  and  the  brightest  light  a modulated  scale  of 


'52 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


delicately  different  grays.  Upon  the  leeling  and  skill  with 
which  these  “values”  are  adjusted  will  depend  much  of 
the  effect  on  our  imagination  ; we  shall  not  he  troubled  hy 
the  absence  of  colors — they  have  been  transposed  into  an 
abstract  key  of  black  and  white,  with  enough  suggestion 
of  relative  truth  to  nature  to  arouse  in  our  imagination 
the  sense  of  color.  And  I wonder  whether  it  is  not  true 
that  our  enjoyment  of  nature  depends  less  on  color  than 
upon  the  action  of  light  ? It  may  be  otherwise  with  the 
glorious  hues  of  autumn  or  of  an  Indian  summer,  but  I 
am  writing  this  in  early  spring,  with  a view  from  my 
window  of  a picture  in  tones  of  green  framed  in  hy  the 
casement.  Yesterday  the  sky  was  lowering,  and  in  the 
dull  light  the  grass  and  foliage,  for  all  its  fresh  vitality, 
seemed  inert.  Today  the  sunshine  has  awakened  them  to 
animation,  hut  with  difference  of  expression.  The  leaves 
of  the  maple  glance,  open-faced,  to  the  sun  ; the  elm’s  are 
peeping  shyly  from  their  buds  ; the  chestnut’s,  still  frond- 
like, cling  together  for  company  in  the  cosiness  of  their 
woolly  coverings,  while  the  pine’s  are  strong  in  color  and 
vigor,  as  hetits  one  who  has  weathered  the  winter  and 
grown  conhdent  with  experience.  But  on  all  these 
variations  of  green  the  light  is  playing  differently — with 
broad  welcome,  coaxing  tenderness,  or  the  heartiness  of 
old  companionship — and  there  is  a similar  variety  of  ex- 
pression in  the  shadows.  I am  reminded,  too,  that  color 
is  refected  light,  that  light  is  the  source  of  life,  and  that 
the  rendering  of  it  in  its  endless  manifestations  is  the 
absorbing  motive  of  many  great  painters.  So,  perhaps,  I 
am  not  far  wrong  in  saying  that  light  affects  our  imagina- 
tion even  more  than  color,  and  therefore  that  a good 
photograph,  which  reaches  its  beauty  through  its  inter- 


•5^ 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


pretation  of  the  manifold  aspects  of  light,  may  yield  us  as 
much  enjoyment  as  a painting — certainly  far  more  than  a 
poor  painting,  possibly  as  much  as  a good  one.  For  we 
ought  not  to  be  like  children,  continually  demanding 
literalness,  forever  asking  Why  ? and  expecting  their  elders 
to  make  all  the  explanation  and  to  do  all  the  thinking 
tor  them.  We  ought  to  have  imagination  enough  to  need 
only  a hint  and  then  be  able  to  fill  in  for  ourselves  the 
fidl  conception.  Let  us  not  forget,  either,  that  a work  of 
art,  whether  painting  or  photograph,  is  at  best  only  an 
abstract  interpretation  of  the  actual  thing — a legitimate 
make-believe  which  demands  ot  us  the  willingness  and 
capacity  to  realize  through  the  deception  the  thing  repre- 
sented. You  may  have  seen  one  of  Whistler’s  Venetian 
etchings— —the  most  abstract  of  records,  merely  a very  few 
black  lines  and  a great  deal  of  white  paper,  which,  how- 
ever, supplemented  by 
our  own  knowledge 
and  imagination  (I  keep 
talking  of  imagination 
— what  is  it  but  the 
faculty  of  adapting  what 
we  (k  know  to  what 
we  ))iight  know  r ) enables 
us  to  picture  to  our- 
selves the  color  and 
indwelling  spirit  of 
\Tnice.  Equally  we 
shall  find  that  many 
photographs  of  land- 
scape have  this  emo- 

By  Kdivard  J,  Stczchcn  . - 

tional  suggestion  ; not 
154 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


all,  certainly,  any  more  than  all  etchings  or  all 
paintings ; it  is  not  a question  of  the  medium  em- 
ployed, but  the  amount  of  feeling  which  the  artist 
puts  into  his  picture.  And  if  you  ask  me  what  I mean 
by  this  much-used  and  not  seldom  abused  word,  “feeling,” 

I w ill  venture  to  define  it  (at  any  rate,  for  our  present 
purpose)  as  that  quality  in  a picture  which  starts  some 
fibre  in  ourselves  vibrating  with  memory,  hope,  or  longing, 
with  some  emotion  sad  or  pleasurable,  as  a piano  string 
vibrates  in  sympathy  with  a note  of  the  human  voice. 

The  accompanying  reproductions  of  landscape  hv 
Edward  J.  Steichen  will  show  that  he  sees  in  it  a subject 
either  for  the  realizing  of  some  artistic  problem  or  for 
the  expression  of  some  emotional  suggestion,  or  both. 
For  he  is  to  the  marrow  an  artist ; one  can  detect  it  in 
all  his  prints.  Some  of  them  we  may  not  care  for  as 
pictures — probably  they  were  only  experiments,  verv  likely 
inadequate  in  expressing  what  he  strove  to  reach,  but, 
even  so,  they  are  artistically  interesting  and  bear  in 
consequence  an  impress  of  distinctioii.  This  is  a quality 
more  easy  to  feel  than  to  explain.  Broadly  speaking,  it  is 
the  antithesis  of  the  obvious ; getting  closer  home,  it  is 
seeing  nature  through  a vision  that  transposes  the  facts 
into  an  abstract  of  form,  color,  light,  and  atmosphere,  and 
th  is  with  such  vividness  and  power  of  expression  that  the 
result  is  in  a greater  or  less  degree  a new  thing — a creation. 
H is  faculty  of  exprcvssion  is  not  limited  to  photography, 
since  he  is  an  excellent  draughtsman  in  a variety  of 
mediums  and  has  had  an  oil  painting  admitted  to  the 
recent  Paris  Salon.  It  is,  therefore,  interesting  to  know 
that  he  has  recourse  to  photography,  because  he  finds 
that  in  some  cases  he  can  reach  by  means  of  it  better 


'55 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


results  than  in  any  other  way.  In  his  hands  it  is  not  a 
makeshift,  but  a separate  source  of  power.  One  would 
like  to  question  him  as  to  what  those  cases  are.  A 
general  pondering  of  the  subject  and  particular  study  of 
his  prints  leads  one  to  the  conclusion  that  it  is  when 
delicacy  of  tone  is  desired  as  a prevailing  quality.  Per- 
haps also  richness  of  tone  (note  his  portrait  of  Mucha  and 
The  R osc,  the  latter  reproduced  on  page  145),  although 
that  is  readily  within  the  scope  of  oil-paint  and  etching, 
whereas  delicacy  of  tone  is  much  more  difficult  to  obtain 
— in  painting,  because  the  variety  of  hues  tends  to  confuse 
the  issue  ; and  in  etching,  because  the  process  permits  the 
introduction  of  only  a few  of  the  planes,  so  that  tenderly 
proceeding  gradation  is  well-nigh  impossible,  while  in  a 
platinotype  print  the  range  of  greys  between  the  darkest 
and  the  lightest  parts  is  susceptible  of  almost  unlimited 
subtlety.  Perhaps  also  photography  attracts  him  in 
another  direction — in  the  readiness  with  which  it  can  be 
made  to  express  the  flatness  of  objects.  It  was  mentioned 
in  a previous  chapter  that  the  greater  diffusion  of  light 
out  of  doors  tends  to  flatten  objects — that  is,  to  reduce 
the  appearance  of  hulk  wliicli  they  assume  in  the  partial 
light  of  the  studio,  where  the  shadows,  more  insistent  by 
reason  of  concentration,  throw  the  forms  up  in  strong 
relief.  'Fhrough  all  these  landscapes  of  Air.  Steichen’s 
there  is  appreciable  the  enjoyment  which  he  feels  in  this 
flat  pattern  of  form  ; although,  observe,  it  is  not  a flatten- 
ing of  the  objects  against  the  front  of  the  picture,  but  an 
extension  of  the  principle  that  they  count  as  masses, 
silhoueftetl  against  what  is  beyond.  It  you  ask  why  an 
artist  should  find  enjovment  in  this,  I may  conjecture  that 
it  is  because  it  adds  another  feature  of  abstraction  to  the 


THE  RIVULET 


/>>  Echvard  J.  Sfckhcn 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


already  abstract  conception  of  the  landscape,  and  thereby 
increases  his  sense  of  mastery  over  his  medium,  in  that  by 
means  so  opposed  to  the  lacts  of  nature  he  can  suggest  an 
impression  of  nature’s  appearance.  It  is  worth  rememher- 
ing  that  the  Japanese,  whose  art  is  the  most  abstract  that 
we  know  of,  founded  upon  generations  of  tradition  and 
brought  to  the  finest  point  of  eloquent"  suggestiveness, 
include  among  their  resources  this  of  flatness. 

Possibly  a characteristic  example,  combining  those  two 
qualities  of  flatness  and  tonal  delicacy,  is  The  Pool,  Even- 
l//g.  One  utters  a prayer  for  the  safe  delivery  of  this 
delicately  subtle  print  from  the  perils  of  the  half-tone 
process  ! The  latter  will  at  least  reproduce  the  flat 
massing  of  dark  and  darkening  light,  just  the  features  that 
would  first  arrest  one’s  attention  if  confronted  with  the 
actual  scene  ; hut  will  it  render  the  ehhing  pulsations  of 
light  upon  the  water  or  the  mysterious  penetrability  of 
the  shadowed  wood  heyond  ? These,  again,  are  the 
features  which,  if  we  lingered  around  the  spot,  we  should 
gradually  observe  ; noticing  later  the  charming  disorder  of 
leaves  that  float  oii  the  placid  surface,  so  unobtrusive 
although  they  are  in  the  foreground,  and  hv  degrees 
yielding  to  the  spell  of  sweet  solemnitv  that  pervades  the 
scene.  Do  we  retrret  the  absence  of  various  hues  of 

O 

color  r d he  picture  is  full  of  the  se?/se  of  color,  and  the 
very  reticence  of  the  black  and  white  permits  a freer 
movement  to  our  imagination. 

’Phis  is  one  of  those  prints  which  emphasizes  the  wide 
gap  there  is  between  the  average  pht^tograph  and  genuinely 
artistic  work.  Perhaps,  if  I were  an  expert  operator,  I 
might  undertake  to  tell  vou  “how  it  was  done”;  that  the 
negative  was  over-exposed  or  uiuler-exposed,  or  the  camera 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


focused  on  the  background,  or  that  some  other  shrewd 
technical  device  had  been  adopted — pecking  trivially 
around  the  big  qualities  of  the  picture  and  making 
believe  that  I or  any  other  “expert  operator,”  using  such 


By  Edward  J . Sicichcn 

“THE  JUDGMENT  OF  PARIS— LANDSCAPE  ARRANGEMENT” 


and  such  a camera  and  such  and  such  a negative,  lens,  or 
stop,  and  printing  according  to  such  and  such  a process, 
could  have  produced  a similar  result.  Fortunatelv  lor  my 
own  enjoyment  and,  I hope,  for  yours,  I am  only  a 


>59 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


sympathetic  observer  of  other  men’s  work,  and  concerned 
a great  deal  more  with  the  pictorial  result  than  with 
the  technicalities  of  process.  As  to  the  latter,  however,  I 
am  inclined  to  smile  incredulously  and  invite  the  “ expert 
operator”  to  repeat  them;  in  which  case  I fancy  there 
would  still  be  some  little  discrepancy  in  the  result,  for  he 
seems  to  have  overlooked  the  personal  ingredient,  the 
thimhlefid  of  artistic  yeast  that  raises  the  lumpish  dough, 
I’he  real  difference  between  this  print  and  the  average 
photograph  is  the  same  as  that  between  some  paintings  and 
the  majority  of  them  ; the  difference,  indeed,  between 
mere  technical  accomplishment  and  the  same  quickened 
into  vital  expression  by  the  spirit  ol  the  artist — the 
difference,  in  a word,  between  craftsmanship  and  art.  I 
set  this  print  and  some  others  of  Mr.  Steichen’s  alongside 
as  many  landscape  pictures  by  other  photographers  (the 
latter  what  you  would  call  handsome  but  very  literal 
interpretations  of  nature)  and  invited  a child  ol  twelve, 
who  is  devoted  to  country  life,  to  tell  me  which  she 
liked  the  best.  After  some  little  while  she  selected  this 
print  of  7’/v  Pool,  and  when  I asked  her  why,  replied  : 
“ Because  it  is  so  real.”  Apparently  the  literalness  of 
some  of  the  other  prints  had  not  conveyed  an  equal 
suggestion  of  reality. 

Of  the  other  landscapes  by  Mr.  Steichen,  reproduced 
here,  that  which  comes  nearest  in  quality  and  interest  to 
the  one  we  have  been  considering  is  Pbc  ""f luigmcnt  of 
Pdr/s — fjcwdsccipe  ^Irrcn/gcdient.  'Fhis  Lcwdscdfe  Arrange- 
mnit,  as  the  name  would  implv,  is  rather  a study  of  com- 
position, of  forms  and  spaces,  and  of  varieties  of  light  and 
tone  than  a picture  with  emotional  significance.  A 
Decorative  Landscape  Study  wdiich,  how^ever,  I have  not 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


been  able  to  reproduce  in  this  article,  is  an  essay  ol  a 
similar  character,  but  carried  to  a farther  point  of 
generalization,  until  the  whole  has  been  reduced  to  a Hat 
pattern  of  forms  and  spaces  in  a very  limited  range  ot 
tone.  The  motive  is  not  a realization  ot  nature,  but  an 
abstract  of  its  possibilities  in  the  direction  ot  ornamental 
pattern.  The  expanse  ot  meadow  in  IVild  Crocus,  the 
level  line  near  the  top  of  the  picture,  the  soft  silhouette  ot 
trees  and  hill  against  the  quiet  sky,  and  the  smooth  masses 
of  slightly  contrasted  tone  may  be  compared  with  the 
more  stirring  contrasts  of  line  and  color  in  The  Brook  in 
IViutcr — the  one  so  reposeful,  the  other  suggestive  ot  un- 
satished  yearning. 

In  all  these  prints,  though  they  permit  onlv  a limited 
estimate  of  the  range  of  Air.  Steichen’s  abilitv,  there  is 
visible  the  impress  of  a true  artist.  Whether  thev  have 
much  or  little  or  no  emotional  signihcance,  they  are  alwavs 
distinguished  bv  individuality.  It  is  not  the  obvious  but 
what  is  concealed  behind  it  that  he  tries  to  reach,  and  his 
search  is  not  only  stimulated  by  a virile  personality  but 
guided  and  controlled  by  artistic  temperament  and 
training. 

I have  spoken  ot  the  “obvious”  and  must  trv  to  jiistitv 
the  use  ot  the  word.  We  admit  the  beauty  of  nature  and 
that  the  artist  renders  this  beautv  through  faithful  studv 
ot  what  he  sees;  therefore,  the  “obvious,”  that  wbicb 
confronts  his  actual  vision,  mi;{ht  seem  to  be  tbe  truth  of 
iiature  and  accordingly  desirable.  Unquestionably  it  is  tbe 
truth  but  a truth  that  is  only  the  outworks,  as  it  were,  of 
a greater  truth.  In  a bottle  of  perfume  it  is  the  essence 
which  we  cannot  see  and  not  the  w ater  ^vhich  is  plain  to 
sight  that  constitutes  its  charm.  So,  latent  wnthin  the 

r6i 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


forms  and  colors  of  the  landscape,  is  an  essence  or  spirit. 
It  was  not,  for  instance,  any  particular  evening  that  Corot 
painted  but  the  spirit  of  eventide ; and  when  Rousseau 
painted  a fragme<nt  of  the  hard-ribbed  earth  and  a mighty 
oak  gripping  the  soil  with  its  roots  and  flinging  its  giant 
arms  to  the  sky,  it  was  because  he  was  conscious  all  the 
time  of  the  grandeur  of  nature’s  forms,  that  this  minute 
record  partakes  of  the  grandeur  of  the  whole  big  scheme 
of  nature.  Both  looked  beyond  the  obvious ; one  to  the 
spirit  or  soul  of  the  landscape,  the  other  to  the  elemental 
force  of  its  material  manifestations. 

And  to  a greater  or  less  degree  every  true  lover  of 
nature  views  her  in  somewhat  such  a manner.  It  means 
far  more  to  his  heart  than  to  his  eyes.  It  may  be  the 
exquisite  serenity  that  broods  over  the  meadow  and  clump 
of  trees,  or,  on  another  occasion,  the  purity  and  freshness 
of  reawakening  life  that  steals  over  the  simple  scene  and 
makes  his  own  blood  flow  more  quickly  ; or,  again,  the 
expansive  comfort  of  summer  or  the  turbulent  stimulus  of 
the  time  of  fruitage— these  are  but  trifles  of  suggestion, 
though  enough,  perhaps,  to  remind  us  that  we  do  our- 
selves look  beyond  the  obvious.  This,  too,  explains  why 
some  phases  of  nature  cannot  be  adequately  rendered  in 
painting  or  photographv  ; the  grandeur  of  mountain 
scenerv,  for  example  ; when  the  spirit  of  the  scene  is  so 
overpoweringlv  greater  than  the  mere  phvsical  aggregation 
of  the  parts  ; and  vet  it  is  through  the  representation  of 
th  ose  parts  that  the  artist  is  forced  to  proceed.  However 
faithfully  he  reprotluces  them,  the  mightiness  beyond 
eludes  him  ; or,  indeed,  one  might  sav  that  the  more 
faithfully  he  renders  them,  the  less  will  he  attain  to  their 
inherent  grai^deur.  Anv  one  who  has  tasted  of  the 

\(>2 


THE  MARSHES— FLORIDA 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


exultation,  awe  or  sublimity  that  mountain  scenes  suggest, 
knows  how  comparatively  petty  is  the  impression  of  the 
pictorial  record  of  them.  You  may  recall  a picture  of  an 
avalanche  in  the  National  Gallery,  by  Turner,  which  does 
convey  some  measure  of  this  impressiveness,  but  it  is  because 
he  did  not  make  the  rendering  of  the  snow  his  chief 
motive  but  the  force  and  fury  of  movement.  He  has 
tried  to  paint  the  abstract  impression  rather  than  the  con- 
crete, obvious  fact. 

Now,  as  very  few  of  us  in  these  days  are  Pantheists,  I 
presume  we  use  the  expression  “soul  or  spirit  of  nature”  as 
a mere  convenient  metaphor.  We  conceive  of  it  as  existing 
not  in  nature  herself  but  in  the  man  who  studies  her  with 
love.  It  is  the  artist’s  subjective  point  of  view.  Opposed 
to  this  is  the  objective  ; that  of  the  photographer,  for 
example,  who  exclaims  “What  a beautiful  view!”  and 
snaps  it  off.  But  we  cannot  reach  the  soul  of  a woman 
by  a hurried  recognition  of  her  beauty  ; and  nature  is  at 
least  as  impenetrable  to  such  casual  admirers.  Yet  this  is 
the  way  in  which  thousands  of  photographs  are  made  and 
with  which,  unfortunately,  both  their  authors  and  the 
public  seem  very  well  satisfied.  Perhaps  it  is  unkind  to 
disturb  their  satisfaction,  and  equally  futile  to  try  and 
explain  why  they  should  not  be  satisfied.  But  pardon  me 
for  attempting  it,  as,  at  least,  it  will  summarize  the  points 
we  have  been  discussing  in  this  chapter. 

Let  us  imagine  a simple  example.  Here  is  a print, 
representing  a field  with  standing  shocks  of  corn  ; con- 
taining a very  intelligible  record  of  the  scene.  But  how 
far  is  it  a picture?  Our  estimate  will  depend  upon  two 
considerations  ; the  mere  pattern  of  black  and  white  upon 
the  paper  and  the  amount  of  its  suggestion.  Is  the  pattern 

164 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


in  its  abstract  representation  of  forms  and  spaces  well- 
balanced,  intrinsically  handsome?  Has  it  admirable 
qualities  of  color ; richness  in  the  blacks,  clarity  in  the 
lightest  parts,  and  line  gradations  of  intermediate  tones  ; 
or,  instead,  has  it  a general  delicacy  of  less  contrasted 
tones  ; or,  again  has  it  the  vivacity  of  a few  tones,  strongly 
contrasted  ? Moreover,  is  the  lighter  part  really  suggestive 
of  light  or  merely  a contrast  to  the  darker  parts,  and  are 
the  receding  planes  of  the  picture,  whether  many  or  few, 
represented  with  the  fluid  continuity  of  the  “values”  in 
nature  ? Then,  secondly,  what  does  the  scene  convey  to 
us?  Merely  an  accurate  suggestion  that  the  corn  has 
been  cut  and  stacked  in  sheaves?  or,  are  we  made  to  feel 
that  nature  for  the  time  being  has  done  her  labor ; that 
the  fulness  of  her  strength  has  been  expended,  that  she  is 
resting  like  a strong  man  in  the  grand  consciousness  of 
work  accomplished,  her  forces  relaxed  temporarily  in  the 
glow  and  luxury  of  well-earned  ease? 

In  this  ramble  over  the  broad  field  of  landscape,  a few 
points  stand  out  with  particular  distinctness.  To  make  a 
beautiful  picture  of  landscape,  or  to  appreciate  it,  some- 
thing more  is  needed  than  a taste  for  the  picturesque  : 
there  must  be  a real  love  of  nature,  which  leads  to  close 
study  of  it  and  a growing  companionship  with  its  moods 
and  changes.  Nature  must  mean  something  to  our  inner- 
most life.  When  the  artist  has  entered  into  nature  and 
allowed  it  to  enter  into  him,  his  work,  however  simple, 
becomes  impregnated  with  a sincerity  that  is  unmistakable 
to  any  careful  observer,  just  as  the  half-hearted  motive  of 
him  who  is  merely  trying  to  take  pretty  pictures  can  be 
at  once  detected.  It  is  this  sincerity  that  leads  the  artist 
to  eschew  the  trivial  and  seek  for  the  large  qualities  in  a 

165 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


landscape ; to  feel  so  deeply  the  meaning  of  these  that  he 
can  communicate  the  feeling  to  us  and,  so,  recreate  the 
emotion  vve  might  have  received  if  ourselves  in  the 
presence  of  the  scene.  For  the  lover  of  nature  can  never 
be  satished  with  a mere  record  of  the  physical  facts ; 
to  him  there  is,  as  it  were,  a soul  within  them,  and  he 
looks  in  pictures  for  its  interpretation.  It  would  not  be 
far  wrong  to  say  that  landscape  art  is  the  real  religious  art 
of  the  present  age. 


ClIAl’TKR  VII. 


s 


a 


» 


“SCURRYING  HOME 


By  Alfred  Sticglitz 


«> 


i 


■j 


I 


“ THE  URN 


By  r.  H.  Day 


CHAPTER  VII 

The  Figure  Subject  in  Pictorial  Photography 

N an  article  on  ^‘Figure  Photography”  in 
Camera  Notes,  occurs  the  following  passage  ; 
“Neither  has  there  to  be  behind  the  kodak 
or  camera  any  special  kind  of  photographer; 
anyone  who  can  work  quickly  and  precisely 
and  quietly  can  do  good  work  ot  this  kind.”  Surely  this 
is  a surprising  statement  in  view  of  the  difficulties  of  figure 
picture-making  generally,  and  of  some  special  ones  which 
coniront  the  photographer  particularly.  Indeed,  it  can 
only  be  explained  by  assuming  that  the  writer  is  not 
referring  to  picture-making  at  all,  but  only  to  the  record 
of  figures  by  means  of  photography,  as  a pleasant  pastime 
for  the  peripatetic  snap-shooter.  This  conclusion  seems 
warranted  by  the  sentence  which  follows : “ If  any 

special  qualification  is  required,  it  is  the  power  of  seeitig 
everything  at  once,  not  such  a difficult  thing  for  those  of 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


average  eyesight  as  it  may  appear  ; though  difficult,  if  not 
impossible,  to  those  who  are  short-sighted  or  those  who 
have  to  wear  spectacles.’ 

The  statement  will  give  great  encouragement  and 
satisfaction  to  hundreds  of  photographers  who  are  execut- 
ing just  the  kind  of  work  that  might  be  expected  to 
result  from  such  limited  qualihcations,  and  who  will  have 
found  conhrmation  of  what  no  doubt  they  already  feel, 
that  their  work  is  all  which  can  be  desired.  A similar 
narrowness  of  aim  distinguishes  a great  many  painters’ 
treatment  of  the  hgure,  and  this  blindness  to  the  higher 
possibilities  of  the  figure  subject  is  verv  generally  shared 
by  the  public.  It  may  not  he  amiss  to  try  and  enter  into 
the  purpose  which  actuates  artists,  whether  painters  or 
photographers,  in  approaching  this  most  fascinating  branch 
of  art.  And  first  let  me  attempt  a general  consideration 
of  the  matter ; yenturing  afterwards  to  try  and  discover 
its  special  application  to  photography. 

It  was  a pretty  saying  of  Pope’s  that  “the  noblest 
study  of  mankind  is  man.”  'Phe  dictum  is,  perhaps,  a 
little  too  pat  to  he  precise,  yet,  on  the  whole  has  been 
justified  by  centuries  of  artistic  tradition  which  puts  the 
study  of  the  human  figure  in  the  front  rank  of  pictorial 
motive ; and  there  is  little  doubt  that  to  the  public  at 
large  the  figure  subject  has  more  attractions  than  anv 
other.  Let  us  note  from  what  verv  different  points  of 
view  the  public  aiul  the  best  artists  have  reached  this 
agreement. 

'To  the  former,  the  prime  charm  of  a figure  picture 
consists  in  its  “human  interest”;  to  the  artist,  in  the  possi- 
bilities of  heautv  inherent  in  the  human  figure.  ’The  two 
ideas  may  he  summarized  as,  respectiveh’,  the  illustrative 


T72 


ph()T(k;raphy  as  a fine  art 


and  the  decorative;  and  both  may  he  represented  in  the 
same  picture,  hut  never,  if  it  is  the  work  of  a great  artist, 
will  the  latter  he  missing.  Stated  otherwise,  the  difference 
is  that  between  the  mere  record  of  facts  and  the  wav  in 
which  they  are  recorded.  Tlie  average  public  looks  oidy 
for  the  portrayal  of  some 
incident  or  story  ; eagerly 
inquires  the  title  of  the 
picture  and  “ what  it  is 
all  about”;  searches  the 
picture  in  order  to  satisfy 
itself  that  the  facts  have 
been  literally  rendered; 
demands  a pictorial  in- 
ventory of  the  circum- 
stances and  criticises 
them  as  to  their  accuracy 
and  completeness.  It 
looks  for  a detailed  state- 
ment rendered  after  the 


manner  of  the  literary  By j a.  oimcck.  n^v  York 

^ ■■  GIRI.  AND  CUll'AR  " 

man  ; ignoring  the  sep- 
arate, individual  qualities  and  possibilities  td  a picture  and 
considering  it  merely  as  an  appendage  to  the  pen  ; an 
illustration,  in  fact,  in  the  boldest  acceptation  of  the  term. 

This  view  of  the  figure  picture  is  no  new  one;  being 
prevalent  enough  in  the  days  cd  the  Italian  Renaissance, 
during  the  earlier  half  of  the  fifteenth  century,  when  the 
artist  was  engaged  by  priestly  and  lay  patiams  to  paint 
religious  subjects.  H(,nv  well  Browning  has  summarized 
the  motive  and  the  effect  when  he  makes  h'ra  I>ippo 
Lippi  say  : 


173 


•‘THE  MAY-POLE ’’ 


By  Llarcncc  //.  U kite 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


“ I painted  a Saint  Laurence  six  months  since 
At  Prato,  splashed  the  fresco  in  line  style  : 

‘ H ow  looks  my  painting,  now  the  scaffold’s  down  ? ’ 

I ask  a brother:  ‘Hugely,’  he  returns — 

‘ Already  not  one  phiz  ot  your  three  slaves 
Who  turn  the  Deacon  off  his  toasted  side, 

But’s  scratched  and  prodded  to  our  heart’s  content. 
The  pious  people  have  so  eased  their  own 
With  coming  to  say  prayers  there  in  a rage: 

We  get  on  fast  to  see  the  bricks  beneath. 

Expect  another  job  this  time  next  year. 

For  pity  and  religion  grow  i’  the  crowd — 

Your  painting  serves  its  purpose!’  Hang  the  tools!” 

And  “Hang  the  tools!”  is  still  re-echoed  by  the 
exasperated  artist  ot  today  when  he  finds  his  point  of  view 
so  entirely  misunderstood  or  ignored  by  the  public  ; the 
latter  confining  their  intention  to  what  he  says  in  neglect 
of  his  wav  ot  saying  it.  They  miss  the  point  that  if 
picture-making  is  a method  ot  expression  independent  of 
the  literary  method,  it  should  be  judged  by  those  qualities 
which  are  peculiar  to  itself.  For,  judged  by  the  literarv 
standard,  the  painter  or  photographer  is  at  a disadvantage 
with  the  writer,  since  he  cannot  include  in  his  picture 
the  sequence  ot  circumstances  and  of  emotions  leading  up 
to  the  culminating  point.  But,  on  the  other  hand,  in  the 
terseness  ot  his  presentment  and  the  vividness  with  which 
he  can  flash  his  meaning  instantaneously  upon  our  con- 
sciousness, the  advantage  is  all  with  him  ; and  the  extent 
to  which  he  relies  upon  these  qualities,  both  in  the  choice 
ot  subject  and  in  manner  of  rendering  it,  will  be  his 
measure  of  success. 


’75 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


For  not  every  subject  will  serve  his  turn.  There  is  a 
class  ol  subject  readily  adapted  to  the  leisurely,  methodic, 
analytical  process  of  the  writer ; and  quite  another  kind 
appropriate  to  pictorial  presentment  which  should  be  syn- 
thetic, no  matter  how  analytical  may  have  been  the  study 
which  preceded  it.  And  the  subject  as  he  presents  it  must  be 
seli-sufficient,  needing  no  other  justification  for  existence 
than  its  own  beauty,  force  or  character  ; and  if  it  involves  a 
story,  self-explanatory,  not  dependent  upon  quotations  of 
prose  or  verse  to  make  the  simple  meaning  of  its  title 
intelligible. 

xYs  regards  the  conception  of  the  subject,  we  may 
gather  from  a study  of  great  works,  that  the  main  points 
are  that  the  subject  has  been  thoroughly  comprehended, 
sincerely  felt,  and  pictured  fully  in  the  brain  before  its 
representation  is  commenced.  This  antecedent  realization 
may  he  the  result,  either  of  profound  study  and  experiment 
or  of  a momentary  suggestion,  vividly  seized.  The  model, 
for  example,  may  be  resting.  The  limbs,  freed  from 
restraint,  loosen  into  lines  of  unconscious  ahcuido}! ; at  the 
same  moment,  perhaps,  the  sunlight  falls  upoji  the  polished 
bosses  (,)f  the  shoulder  and  breast,  while  shadow  wraps  the 
remainder  in  a certain  mysterv.  'Fhe  artist  sees  at  once 
the  pictorial  possibilities,  he  is  tilled  with  enthusiasm,  seizes 
the  charcoal  or  adjusts  the  camera  and  records  his 
impressions  red-hot.  Later  he  mav  develop  his  study  into 
a picture,  trying  to  bring  out  those  qualities  which  had 
impressed  him  so  vividly,  and  last  of  all  mav  put  a name 
to  the  picture.  Hut  the  title  was  not  the  genesis  of  the 
picture,  which  had  its  inspiration  in  the  chance  presentment 
of  a subject  of  beauty  ; and  we  shall  not  reach  an 

appreciatit)n  of  bis  \\a)rk  by  pt)ring  over  the  title  and 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


endeavoring  to  square  the  representation  with  it.  Least 
of  all  shall  we  ever  put  ourselves  in  sympathy  with  the 
artist  if  we  suppose  that  great  work  necessarily  involves  a 
great  and  elevated  subject.  The  artists  of  the  Venetian 
School  were  great  men,  who  lived  in  big  and  stirring 


By  Joseph  T.  Keiley 

“ SI-IYLOCK— A STUFJY” 


times,  intimate  with  women  of  noble  build  and  with  men 
distinguished  by  enterprise,  ambition  and  intense  pride  of 
country,  yet  these  artists  often  seem  to  have  been  striving 
most  consciously  to  represent  the  gorgeous  color  and  texture 
of  rich  fabrics  and  the  fascination  of  light  upon  ripely 


177 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


rounded  limbs.  That  we  hnd  such  pictures  great  is  due  to 
the  large  manner  in  which  motives,  comparatively  trivial, 
have  been  expressed.  And  is  not  this  a common  experience 
of  ourselves  ? When  we  were  young,  we  had  such  big 
thoughts,  as  i:ar  beyond  our  capacity  ot  expression  as  of  our 
comprehension  ; as  we  mature,  our  horizon  narrows,  but  the 
sense  of  vision  grows;  we  reach  out  and  grasp,  alas!  very 
much  smaller  things,  but  with  a livelier  comprehension 
and  an  increase  of  ownership,  that  compensate  for  their 
limitations. 

The  conception  of  the  subject,  however,  may  be  the 
product  of  long  and  careful  study.  Such  is  Millet’s  Sower. 
His  svmpathies  were  with  the  laborer;  he  knew  him 
intimately  in  the  going  in  and  out  of  daily  life  ; the  solitary 
figure  passing  rapidly  down  the  furrow,  scattering  grain 
that  in  the  fid  ness  of  the  season  was  to  mean  life  to  him- 
self and  others,  had  been  noted  time  and  again  with 
penetrating  comprehensiveness,  not  only  in  its  individual 
characteristics  but  in  its  relation  to  the  big  scheme  of  life. 
So  that  when  at  length  the  artist  realized  the  fruits  of 
study,  he  portrayed  not  d sower,  but  'T/ee  Sower;  a typal 
embodiment  which  by  force  of  the  knowledge  and  sincer- 
itv  involved  must  remain  a classic. 

On  the  other  hand  there  were  recently  exhibited  some 
photographs  of  a Sicilian  sower  in  various  phases  of  his 
occupation.  Why  did  they  fail,  as  I think  they  did,  (h 
satisfactorv  rendering  ? Because  thev  were  simply  illustra- 
tions of  arrested  movement,  revealing  no  studv  of  the 
salient  characteristics  of  the  subject  or  anv  attempt  to 
unite  them  in  one  epitt)iue.  In  this  way  the  motive  had 
not  been  sincere.  'The  photographer  may  have  had  jMillet’s 
picture  in  his  mind  and,  certainly,  had  been  attracted  by 

17S 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  AR'I 


the  peasant’s  costume 
and  how  it  would  lend 
itself  to  a picture  out  oi 
the  ordinary.  He  came 
and  saw  and  snapped  his 
camera,  but  did  not  con- 
quer the  intimate  inner 
qualities  ot  the  subject. 

His  prints  were  merely 
snap-shots,  and  if  he  had 
taken  a number  of  dif- 
ferent attitudes  atid  then 
combined  them  in  one 

of  those  rotary  contriv- 
ances that  mingle  the 

separate  units  into  an 
organic  movement,  the 

latter  might  have  come 
somewhere  near  to  being  an  equivalent  of  Alillet’s  picture. 
But,  as  it  was,  these  prints  were  a fair  example  of  what 

must  have  been  in  the  mind  of  the  writer  in  Cantcra 

Notes,  quoted  above:  “Anyone  who  can  work  quickly 

and  precisely  and  quietly,  can  do  good  w'ork  of  this  kind”; 
merely  interesting  records  of  a tour  in  search  of  the 
picturesque. 

Oh!  that  same  word  “picturesque” — what  a fogginess 
of  misconception  it  involves  ! Pictorial  is  intelligible  ; it 
is  the  picture  equivalent  for  actual  facts,  hut  the  sutfix 
“ esque  ” puts  the  idea  into  the  category  of  “ kind  o’  not 
pictorial,  but  “kind  o’  so.”  It  represents  that  quality  of 
mind  which  cannot  find  pictorial  motive  in  a building 
unless  decay  has  settled  down  upon  it,  in  a human  being 


'79 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


unless  clothed  in  some  unfamiliar  costume.  There  are 
painters,  as  well  as  photographers  who  compass  lands  and 
seas  to  find  lawn  caps,  stiff  bodices  and  cheap  jewelry, 
because,  as  they  say,  such  lend  themselves  to  picturesque- 
ness,  as  if  the  country  life  at  home  were  barren  of  pictorial 
suggestion.  Surely,  the  barrenness  is  in  their  own  imagina- 
tions. It  is  a notable  fact  that  when  Israels  and  Blommers 
or  other  Dutch  painters  portray  a peasant  of  Holland  you 
are  hardly  reminded  of  the  costume,  whereas  when  the 
American  or  Englishman  essays  the  same  theme,  you  are 
conscious  of  little  else.  The  former  are  not  attracted 
primarily  by  the  little  local  accidents,  but  by  the  large 
universal  truths  of  human  nature,  which  are  equally  to  be 
found  at  home  by  him  who  has  sympathetic  discernment 
and  a true  eye  for  seeing.  Indeed,  among  painters  and 
photographers  alike,  there  seem  to  be  two  orders  of  mind 
or  habits  of  seeing  ; one  continually  searching  for  the 
picturesque,  the  other  seeing  everything  pictorially.  The 
former  are  by  comparison  journeymen  hunting  for  soft 
jobs,  the  others  artists,  with  the  constructive,  creative  gift, 
who  can  take  a fact,  however  old  or  hackneyed,  and  reshape 
it  into  something  vitally  fresh,  because  they  infuse  into  it 
something  of  their  own  personality. 

While  the  picture-maker  proves  himself  to  he  an  artist 
by  the  selection  of  a subject  particularly  adapted  to  pictorial 
representation,  by  the  thoroughness  with  which  he  grasps 
its  salient  characteristics,  and  by  the  vividness  of  his  ante- 
cedent conception,  he  does  so  also  by  the  reliance  which 
he  places  on  the  methods  of  expression  peculiar  to  his  art. 
How  few  people  realize  that  these  are  abstract  and  make 
their  primary  appeal  to  the  eye!  Eater,  in  the  case  of 
certain  subjects,  they  may  reach  the  intellect,  hut  even 


By  Eva  L.  Watson 

“MOTHER  AND  CHILD” 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


then  through  the  passage-way  of  the  senses.  In  literature, 
on  the  contrary,  the  words  travel  direct  to  the  intellect 
and  may  later  arouse  a brain  impression  as  of  a picture 
seen.  But  in  the  actual  picture  of  painting  or  photog- 
raphy, it  is  the  things  seen  which  affect  us.  and  the 


‘THE  LETTER  BOX’ 


By  Alfred  Stieslitz 


artist’s  skill  is  shown  in  what  he  oders  to  our  sight  and 
ours  in  the  receptivity  of  our  vision.  He  offers  us 
certainly  a concrete  fact — some  figure  or  incident ; he 
cannot  help  himself,  and  this  is  his  limitation,  as  compared 
with  the  musician  who  transports  us  at  once  into  the 
abstract.  His  feet  are  necessarily  of  clay,  and  for  the 


182 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


most  part  the  public  never  look  above  his  knees,  and  so 
fail  to  discover  that  in  the  development  of  the  concrete  he 
has  reached  up  into  the  abstract.  The  lines  ot  his  picture, 
the  shape  ol  the  forms  and  their  union  into  one  composi- 
tion are  designed  to  yield  pleasure  to  our  eves  ; so  also  the 
colors,  individually  and  in  their  harmonv  of  relation,  wall 
play  upon  the  eye,  as  music  on  the  ear,  arousing  actual 
emotions  of  depth  or  delicacy,  as  the  case  may  he,  which 
the  distribution  of  light  and  dark  throughout  the  picture 
will  increase,  whde  the  representation  of  texture  on  the 
surlaces  ol  the  different  objects,  tickling  by  suggestion  the 
sense  ot  touch,  will  add  a further  source  of  pleasure.  The 
picture  that  does  Jiot  represent  the  subject  with  some,  at 
least,  of  these  qualities  is  as  barren  of  enjovment  to  a cul- 
tivated taste  as  the  property  pie  which  does  service  for  real 
pie  in  a stage  plav ; and  the  person  whc^  cannot  realize 
enjoyment  from  these  qualities  is  like  a man  eating  straw- 
berries after  he  has  lost  his  senses  of  taste  and  smell. 

In  confirmation  ot  this  point,  that  the  essential  beauty 
of  a picture  consists  in  these  abstract  qualities,  let  us  recall 
a few  that  are  accepted  masterpieces;  for  example,  (I 
select  at  random)  Idtian’s  Assnmptiofi,  Rubens’s  Descefit 
from  the  Cross,  Raphael’s  Miidofifms,  and,  to  come  nearer 
home,  John  La  Farge's  Ascoisiou,  in  the  C'hurch  of  the 
Ascension,  New  \’ork.  Is  it  the  subject  in  each  case  that 
is  responsible  for  the  impressiveness  ? Scarcely,  for  we 
have  seen  representations  of  the  same  subject  that  have 
left  us  cold.  Rather,  it  is  an  eloquence  resulting  from  the 
pictorial  qualities  : in  the  Assiimptio)!,  a superb  massing  of 
stately  form  and  glorious  color  aird  the  suggestion  of  up- 
lifting movement  ; in  the  Descent  fro)n  the  C/vss,  the 
impressive  contrast  of  light  and  dark,  the  white,  drooping 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


form  of  the  Savior  so  pathetically  relieved  against  the 
solemn  gravity  of  the  dark  hgures  massed  around  it. 
Raphael  sheds  over  his  Madonnas  a golden  haze  of  tender- 
ness, that  translates  a simple  peasant  girl  into  a typal 
expression  of  maternal  and  divine  love  ; and  ]ohn  La 
Large,  partly  by  the  noble  adjustment  of  the  hgures  to  the 
spaces  and  partlv  by  the  ringing  dignity  of  the  color 
scheme  draws  our  imagination  upward  with  the  ascending 
hgure.  These  are  not  exhaustive  statements  of  the  sources 
of  gratihcation  in  these  pictures  or  of  the  means  employed 
to  bring  the  story  or  meaning  home  to  us,  hut  enough, 
perhaps,  to  suggest  that  the  latter  are  purely  abstract,  and 
that  through  reliance  upon  these  abstract  qualities  the 
sublimity,  pathos  or  tenderness  of  the  subject  has  been 
developed.  In  all  these  pictures  the  illustrative  and 
the  decorative  motives,  to  which  allusion  was  made  above, 
are  combined  ; and,  if  the  abstract  qualities  are  so  im- 
portant in  their  case,  it  will  he  admitted  that  they  must 
he  more  so  when  the  motive  is  singly  decorative.  In  this 
case,  indeed,  a complete  reliance  upon  them  can  be  the 
only  justihcation  for  adopting  it. 

So  far  we  have  been  discussing  the  general  principles 
involved  in  the  making  of  hgure-pictures,  and  may  now 
apply  them  more  particularly  to  photography.  Surely 
they  demand,  except  in  the  case  of  purely  illustrative 
prints,  such  as  are  used  in  the  daily  and  weekly  papers, 
qualihcations  which  by  no  means  eyery  one  possesses; 
calling,  in  fact,  for  qualities  of  a very  high  artistic  order. 
It  cannot  be  too  often  insisted  that  the  mere  snap-shooting 
of  hgures  or  the  mere  pe>sing  of  them  in  some  agreeable 
position  is  as  far  removed  from  the  artistic  possibilities  of 
picture  photography  as  night  from  day.  The  ultimate 


TKSTING  FRUIT 


By  H A . Latnncr,  Boi,iou 


PHOrOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


possibilities  of  the  art  are  only  matter  of  conjecture, 
but  already  results  are  obtained  which  would  have  been 
deemed  impossible  a short  time  ago,  and  their  beauty  pro- 
ceeds from  reliance  upon  the  artistic  qualities  common  to 
painting,  with  the  sole  exception  of  many  colors.  The 
photograph  is  still  a monochrome  ; yet  in  the  opportunities 
it  gives  of  rich  and  delicate  tones,  the  limitation  is  less  of 
a hindrance  than  some  would  suppose.  The  real  limita- 
tion, the  one  most  difficult  to  circumvent,  comes  from  the 
physical  and  mental  imperfections  of  the  model.  In 
studies  from  the  nude  this  fact  is  often  painfully  apparent. 
Even  when  the  form  is  comparatively  free  from  faults,  a 
consciousness  or  even  an  excess  of  unconsciousness,  amount- 
ing to  blank  indifference,  or  some  simpering  expression  of 
sentiment  will  mar  the  picture.  And  yet  we  have  seen 
how  successfully  this  difficulty  has  been  surmounted  by 
Frank  Eugene  and  F.  Flolland  Day.  The  latter  has  done 
some  very  beautiful  work  from  the  nude  model,  partic- 
ularly with  a Nubian,  and  again  with  children.  His 
motive  in  these,  I should  imagine,  has  been  purely 
decorative  ; and  it  is  the  entire  absence  of  any  sentiment 
that  is  an  element  in  his  success,  since  it  leaves  one  to  un- 
interrupted enjoyment  of  the  beauties  of  form,  color  and 
texture.  Mr.  Eugene,  also,  in  his  Adaui  and  Eve  has 
obliterated  the  faces  by  scoring  the  surface  of  the  plate 
wi  th  li  nes.  The  reason  is  obvious,  and  again  we  find  our- 
selves concentrated  upon  the  abstract  beauties  of  the 
picture.  These  and  other  examples,  in  fact,  suggest  a con- 
clusion that  the  best  way  of  securing  an  acceptable  picture 
in  the  nude  is  by  adopting  some  expedient  to  cancel  the 
personality  of  the  model,  either  by  hiding  the  face,  or  by 
keeping  the  figure  far  back  in  the  picture  whence  the 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


features  do  not  count,  or  else  by  so  accentuating  the  other 
elements  of  the  picture  that  the  attention  is  diverted  from 
the  face. 

In  the  genre  picture  also  this  problem  has  to  be  met  in 
a mitigated  form,  for  the  least  self-consciousness  stiffens, 
and  under-  or  over-realization  of  the  part  that  is  being 
played  may  jar  upon  the 
tjeneral  feeling;  of  the 
subject.  But  in  genre  the 
accessories  may  be  made 
to  play,  and  ought  to 
play,  so  important  a part 
that  the  hg;ure  becomes 
merged  in  them,  if 
properly  treated.  Indeed, 
one  may  almost  divide 
the  examples  of  this  class 
of  picture  into  two 
kinds : those  in  which 

there  is  a niise-en-scejie 
including;  hg;ures  and 
those  in  which  there  are 
hgures  with  some  sort  of 
setting  added,  and  it  is  the  former  which,  in  photography  at 
least,  appear  to  be  the  more  satisfactory  ; and  such  complete 
identity  of  figure  and  environment  demands  the  most  syn- 
thetic arrangement.  If  a profusion  of  detail  is  allowed, 
the  figure  will  necessarily  obtrude  itself,  without,  however, 
necessarily  gaining  separate  importance,  for  the  general 
confusion  distracts.  While,  therefore,  there  slmuld  be 
some  central  motive  to  which  everything  is  subordinated, 
the  same  should  not  be  the  figures,  but  some  abstract 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


quality,  especially  that  of  the  lighting  of  the  picture.  Let 
this  clearly  express  the  sentiment  of  the  picture,  as  it  may 
very  readily  be  made  to  do,  and  everything  will  fall  into 
due  relation  to  it,  the  accessories  as  well  as  the  figure,  and 
the  latter,  relieved  from  the  chief  burden  of  expressing  the 
meaning  of  the  picture,  will  contribute  its  share  with  all 
the  greater  spontaneity. 

On  the  other  hand,  the  artist  may  wish  to  solve  the 
problem  by  confronting  it  instead  of  getting  around  it, 
and -may  determine  to  make  the  expression  of  the  face  the 
prime  factor  in  the  picture.  Then  he  must  either  find  a 
model  that  already  corresponds  to  his  conception,  that 
may,  indeed,  have  inspired  it,  or  he  will  diligently  coach 
his  model,  or,  as  a final  resort,  act  as  model  himself. 
Here,  again,  I am  reminded  of  Air.  Day,  who  in  several 
cases,  notably  in  a series  of  heads,  portraying  the  Sl’Vl’ji 
Last  Jf  ^ords  of  the  Savior,  posed  for  himself.  Silly 
objections  have  been  raised  to  this  on  the  score  of  pro- 
priety, as  if  all  the  religious  pictures  had  not  been  painted 
from  models.  A more  tenable  criticism  would  he  that 
the  theme  is  too  tremendous  to  he  treated  with  main 
reliance  on  the  expression  of  the  faces  as  in  this  case,  and 
that  the  residt  attained,  though  verv  impressive,  is  rather 
histrionic  than  religious. 

This  allusion  tt)  religious  subjects  reminds  one  of  many 
points  depicting  some  tragic  emotion,  none  of  which 
seemed  satisfactorv.  I recall,  especially,  some  examples 
by  Air.  C’larence  II.  \\  bite,  cleverly  posed  and  yery 
beautiful  in  their  rich  quality  of  color.  Their  failure  to 
convey  the  impression  intended  may  possibly  be  due  to 
the  fact  that  Air.  White’s  temperament  does  not  so  strongly 
incline  towards  such  subjects  as  to  others  of  tenderer  senti- 

iS.S 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


ment.  At  least  such  might  he  interred  from  a study  ot  a 
large  number  ot  his  prints.  Mr.  joseph  A.  Keiley  has 
also  essayed  this  kind  of  picture,  as  in  the  case  ot  a Shy- 
lock,  using  an  actor  tor  a model  and  relying  very  much 
upon  the  latter’s  contribution  to  the  result.  But  an  actor’s 
power  to  create  an  impression  is  in  a general  way  a 
relative  one ; dependent  to  a great  extent  upon  the  readi- 
ness of  his  audience  to  accept  the  illusion.  Between  the 
two  there  is  a constant  reciprocity  ot  feeling  and  the  con- 
necting link  is  the  sequence  of  the  words.  In  a picture 
the  artist  has  to  establish  the  connection  in  order  to  help 
out  the  efforts  of  his  model,  and  it  is  just  because  Ylr. 
Keiley  has  depended  too  exclusively  on  the  cleverness  of 
his  model,  that  he  seems  to  me  to  have  failed.  And  this 
brings  one  hack  to  the  point,  which  the  more  one  thinks 
of  it  seems  of  greater  importance,  that  to  succeed  in  gi’/zre 
the  artist  must  make  some  abstract  quality  the  prime 
feature  of  his  picture. 

So  far  I have  been  considering  the  deliberate  posing  of 
the  model ; hut  there  is  a class  of  pictures  in  which  the 
figure  is  introduced  without  its  knowledge  or,  at  anv  rate, 
without  knowledge  of  the  actual  moment  at  which  the 
exposure  is  made.  Mr.  Alfred  Stieglitz  has  done  some 
notable  work  in  this  direction,  particularly  in  the  series  of 
pictures,  made  at  Katwyk,  and  they  hear  out  what  I have 
said  about  the  wisdom  of  suhordinatimj  the  fi«:ure  to  some 
abstract  motive.  In  Tin’  Gossips,  for  example,  and  Going 
to  Church,  he  has  treated  the  figures  as  part  of  the  scene, 
related  to  it  and  deriving  from  it  their  own  significance. 
And  the  pictures  were  not  made,  I understand,  until  the 
essential  features  of  the  subject  had  been  thoroughly 
digested  and  the  relation  of  the  figures  to  the  scene  and 

1S9 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


the  exact  part  they  should  play  in  it,  as  to  position  and 
relative  importance  from  a pictorial  standpoint,  had  been 
well  considered.  This  brings  one  back  to  the  comparison 
of  Millet’s  Soever  with  the  photographs  of  a Sicilian  sower. 
Can  the  photographer  emulate  the  methods  of  the  painter, 
even  if  he  fail  to  reach  his  results.?  I am  unable  to  see 
why  not.  Millet  must  have  made  an  exhaustive  analysis 
of  the  man  at  work  until  he  had  mastered  the  salient 
features  of  the  operation;  then,  many  studies  were  probably 
executed  before  he  reached  the  final  formula  of  expression. 
The  analysis  is  certainly  within  the  possibilities  of  the 
photographer;  and  repeated  snap-shots  might  take  the  place 
of  sketches,  until,  at  last,  the  desired  result  has  been  attained. 
But  this  involves  the  sincerity,  patience  and  self-criticism 
that  mark  the  procedure  of  the  artist,  very  far  removed  from 
the  easy  conscience  and  ready  self-satisfaction  of  a mere 
toucher  of  the  button.  It  distinguishes  the  artist  of  the 
camera  from  him  who  is  only  playing  with  it,  and  justihes 
the  statement  that  really  good  figure-photography,  so  far 
from  being  a thing  in  which  any  one  can  succeed,  is 
indeed  the  highest  test  of  the  photographer’s  ability. 

This  problem  of  expressing  movement  seems  full  of 
difficulty.  Some  years  ago  a number  of  photographs  were 
piddicly  exhibited,  representing  the  position  of  horses  at 
different  instants  of  their  gait,  and  it  was  clear,  at  once, 
that  such  positions  were  entirely  different  from  those 
depicted  by  painters  and  accepted  by  the  public  as  true  to 
life.  Immediately  it  was  assumed  that,  as  the  painter  was 
manifestly  untrue  to  life,  he  must  be  wrong;  the  point 
being  missed,  that  according  to  our  sense  of  what  we  see, 
the  photographs  themselves  were  entirely  false.  The 
picture-maker  does  not  attempt  to  depict  the  actual  thing. 


PHOTOGRAPHY  AS  A FINE  ART 


but  the  impression  which  it  makes  upon  him,  and,  in  the 
matter  of  a horse’s  gallop,  sums  up  the  diderent  phases  of 
the  gait  into  one  synthetic  formula ; which  may  be  arbi- 
trary, but  justified,  if  it  succeeds  in  conveying  the  im- 
pression to  ourselves.  Therefore,  the  snap-shot,  while  no 
doubt  recording  accurately  some  instant  of  the  action,  mav 
be  very  far  from  expressing  the  composite  result,  conveving 
instead  a suggestion  of  suspended  movemeiit.  For  one 
photograph  of  a man  walking,  a hundred  can  be  seen  in 
which  he  appears  to  be  standing  on  one  leg  with  the  other 
held  up  in  the  air  as  if  it  had  been  hurt. 

But  the  difficulties  which  photography  preseiits  are  the 
measure  of  its  possibilities.  If  anyone  could  succeed  there 
would  be  no  chance  for  the  artist.  It  is  in  a realization 
of  the  difinculties  aiid  in  the  persistent  endeavor  to  sur- 
mount them  that  picture  photography  is  being  gradually 
brought  to  the  level  of  an  art, 


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